Baltimore mayor guilty of embezzlement

This is really great.

CNN) -- A jury convicted Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon on Tuesday of embezzlement for improperly using gift cards intended for the needy, the chief investigator for the state prosecutor's office said.

Stealing from the poor for self enrichment.

She was found guilty of a single misdemeanor count of fraudulent misappropriation by a fiduciary. She could be removed from office because it is a theft-related crime,

I would hope so.

Dixon solicited several cards for her own use from two developers, including Patrick Turner, who testified this month that Dixon asked him to donate gift cards from retailers and have them delivered to her office. He said he spent $1,000 total -- $500 for a Best Buy gift card and $500 for a Target one, according to the Baltimore Sun newspaper.

No date was set for sentencing.

CNN Report on this Crime

I can only hope for the best, the maximum sentence for the Honorable Mayor.

I just came across this story today on the radio. I live in Kansas and managed to miss this story, but I am interested in this report which doesn't shock me another dishonest politician.

Networks Briefly Note Dem Mayor's Conviction, Yet Ignored Her Trial

Imagine if you will that former Alaska governor Sarah Palin was accused of taking gift cards donated to her office for redistribution to needy constituents and using them instead for a personal spending spree.

The media firestorm would swirl uncontrollably, of course, and certainly you couldn't fault the media for reporting on the ensuing criminal trial.

Granted, Dixon is only a city mayor, and that may explain some of the lack of coverage, but when ABC did its part to portray her as a champion of the working poor, it's telling that there was no follow up from that network until today.

The December 2 editions of ABC's "Good Morning America" and CBS's "The Early Show" both briefly noted Dixon's conviction during news roundups from the anchor desk, while, of course, failing to note her party affiliation. NBC's "Today" however, failed to even mention the story (transcripts below courtesy of NB's Scott Whitlock and Kyle Drennen, respectively):

NEWS BUSTERS