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Maryland
Former Md. chief of staff McGrath faces federal fraud, embezzlement trial Monday – WTOP News
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Roy McGrath heads to federal court docket in Baltimore on Monday to face fraud and embezzlement fees.
The previous chief of employees who served below former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan heads to federal court docket on federal fraud fees, WTOP’s Mellissa Howell studies.
This content material was republished with permission from WTOP’s information companions at Maryland Issues. Join Maryland Issues’ free electronic mail subscription at the moment.
A former chief of employees to former Gov. Larry Hogan (R) heads to federal court docket in Baltimore on Monday to face fraud and embezzlement fees.
Roy McGrath joined Hogan’s workforce initially as deputy chief of employees. He additionally served because the liaison to the Board of Public works.
By December 2016, McGrath left the governor’s workplace to turn out to be the CEO and chair of the quasi-public Maryland Environmental Service.
4 years later McGrath returned to the State Home, tapped by Hogan in Might 2020 as his chief of employees.
A couple of months later, studies surfaced concerning the phrases of his departure from the Maryland Environmental Service, together with a payout equal to 12 months wage.
McGrath resigned from the publish on Aug. 17, 2020 — a couple of week after information of his severance bundle grew to become public.
The departure triggered a sequence of legislative hearings in addition to a slew of federal and state prison fees.
Federal fraud and embezzlement fees
McGrath was charged in an preliminary eight-count federal indictment with wire fraud and improperly securing a $233,648 severance cost from the Maryland Environmental Service simply as he was becoming a member of Hogan’s employees. The cost is the same as his annual wage as head of the company.
Different fees embrace fraud and embezzlement associated to tens of 1000’s of {dollars} in bills in addition to a failure to say trip time whereas in Florida and a Mediterranean cruise to Spain, France and Italy. These journeys concerned his spouse, Laura Bruner, who on the time was his girlfriend.
Whereas prosecutors sought to introduce as proof images and textual content messages between McGrath’s spouse and her father, that request was denied by U.S. District Courtroom Decide Deborah L. Boardman throughout pre-trial hearings.
After the preliminary federal indictment, prosecutors later added a cost alleging McGrath falsified data. The doc in query allegedly confirmed Hogan was knowledgeable and accepted of the payout to McGrath.
Hogan has vigorously and repeatedly denied he accepted of the cost.
McGrath faces as much as 20 years in jail for every of the wire fraud fees. He may additionally face an extra sentence of as much as 10 years for every of two embezzlement counts.
A possible star witness for the prosecution
Hogan, the previous governor, may very well be known as as a witness for the prosecution. The previous governor’s look was hinted at in an preliminary draft of jury questions.
Hogan’s testimony could also be key in rebutting each McGrath’s claims that the governor knew of and accepted of his severance bundle from the Maryland Environmental Service in addition to the memo prosecutors allege McGrath fabricated.
Ought to Hogan be known as to testify, it will mark a uncommon if not distinctive event wherein a former or present governor was known as as a witness for the prosecution in a federal trial.
One other trial to return
The federal trial is the primary of two involving McGrath.
The Workplace of the Maryland State Prosecutor, working in tandem with federal prosecutors, filed 27 fees towards McGrath in Anne Arundel County Circuit Courtroom in October 2021.
Included in these fees are 9 counts of illegal recording of cellphone calls. The recordings embrace conversations with Hogan and different members of the governor’s employees between March 11 and Aug. 17, 2020, in line with prosecutors. There are additionally 9 counts of misconduct in workplace associated to the calls.
McGrath and his legal professional have sought to make use of the recordings in federal court docket, the place the legislation permits for one-party consent.
McGrath faces as much as 5 years in state jail and $10,000 for every of the wiretap fees. The misconduct fees carry a penalty of something that’s not thought-about merciless and weird.
Moreover, he faces fees associated to falsifying timesheets for the Florida and Mediterranean journeys in addition to for funds made on his behalf to the Harvard College Kennedy College and a $15,000 cost to a charity on his behalf. These fees additionally embrace associated misconduct in workplace fees.
That case is scheduled to go to trial in July.
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Maryland
Maryland issues a new suicide prevention action plan for schools, families – WTOP News
![Maryland issues a new suicide prevention action plan for schools, families – WTOP News Maryland issues a new suicide prevention action plan for schools, families – WTOP News](https://wtop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/SAD_GIRL.GettyImages-1033774340-e1705449585875.jpg)
Suicide is the third leading cause of death for young people between the ages of 10 and 24 in Maryland. That’s according to a new suicide prevention action plan produced through the state’s Department of Health.
Suicide is the third leading cause of death for young people between the ages of 10 and 24 in Maryland. That’s according to a new suicide prevention action plan produced through the state’s Department of Health.
Scott Poland, the director of the Office of Suicide and Violence Prevention at Nova Southeastern University College of Psychology, talked to WTOP about the action plan he authored with his wife, Donna, who is a career educator.
The “Maryland Action Plan to Prevent Suicide in K-12 Schools” serves as a reference guide to school administrators and the community, and was developed in cooperation with the state health department’s Office of Suicide Prevention.
Poland said one thing that surprises people is that children as young as 8 years old may consider taking their own lives.
“I hear from school personnel all around the country (asking if they) have to take it seriously (if a fourth or fifth grader is talking about suicide). And the answer is absolutely yes,” Poland said.
Among the data points in the action plan is a survey of students in the “Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey of 2021/2022.” According to that survey, 21% of high school students “seriously considered suicide” in the past year, and 27% of middle schoolers considered suicide at some point in their lives.
Poland said it’s important to talk about suicide with young people, and that the idea that talking about it might encourage a young person to consider suicide is a “myth.”
“When we actually bring it up, it gives someone a chance to unburden themselves, to realize that they’re not alone, that there are alternatives and that there is help available,” Poland said.
But he said young people are most susceptible to imitating suicidal behavior: “It is important that we not glorify the suicide victim.”
Instead, Poland said, the emphasis after a suicide should be on healing those affected and helping them find appropriate ways to deal with their emotions and mental health.
The plan released this week includes providing intervention action plans for a young person who may be considering suicide.
“Part of that, of course, is removing lethal means and developing a written safety plan with them,” he said.
Poland said that can include helping people understand “the importance of calling 988, doing things that can calm themselves down,” and reaching out to the nearest trusted adult.
People can reach the national resource for crisis response services and suicide prevention by dialing 988.
Poland said social media is “wreaking havoc” on children’s emotional well-being, often making them feel “not smart enough, not rich enough, not good enough.” Poland said he’s currently working with the state of South Dakota on developing tools to help “young people be a little more mindful and make better decisions about their screen time.”
Poland said parents can help — when it comes to the hours and hours that many people spend online — by modeling healthy amounts of screen time themselves. And he said adults need to think about how they introduce technology to their kids.
“We’re in too (much of) a hurry to give kids smartphones and 24-hour internet access,” Poland said.
“I really have to compliment Maryland,” Poland said, on coming up with the new plan.
Poland said Maryland does not have an especially high rate of suicide, but “I think we all recognize that losing one young person to suicide is one too many.”
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Maryland
Getting to know Michigan State football’s Week 2 opponent: Maryland
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Game two is coming up for Michigan State football as the Spartans hit the road for an early season Big Ten matchup against Maryland. The Terps have had MSU’s number in recent years, but the Spartans’ new-look team is ready to change that narrative this weekend.
Jonathan Smith and his staff have a lot to work on this week after a lackluster 16-10 win over Florida Atlantic, but we’ve become more than used to slow starts for MSU in their first game so it’s not time to panic just yet.
While the team wraps up their preparations for Maryland, let’s take a quick look at the Terps and see what we can learn about them before the big game on Saturday.
Maryland is off and running in their 2024 campaign and had an absolutely dominant week one performance. The Terps took on UConn at home and came away with an impressive 50-7 win. Sure UConn is an awful football program, but we saw how poorly Michigan State just did against a similar opponent.
Not only was the final score lopsided, but ever major statistical category was as well. Maryland doubled UConn in first downs and rushing yards, threw for nearly 400 passing yards and even won the turnover battle 3-0. The Terps also only had five penalties for 45 yards which is significantly better than MSU’s 12 for 140 yards against FAU.
Sure all of this took place against UConn, but it appears that Maryland is in a very good spot heading into this big week two matchup.
One thing that I thought would be a positive for Michigan State in this game is that Maryland is breaking in a new quarterback as well. The Terps’ quarterback, Billy Edwards Jr., went off against UConn and completed 20-of-27 passes for 311 yards and two touchdowns. He also is a capable runner and added 39 yards on the ground, so Michigan State will have its hands full on Saturday slowing him down.
The Terps don’t have one standout running back in the backfield, so that does benefit MSU. They do however have two solid backs in Roman Hemby and Nolan Ray who both ran for over 60 yards and one score each.
The one player however that Michigan State needs to pay the most attention to is wide receiver Tai Felton. He had one of the best Week 1 performances in the country as he recorded seven receptions for 178 yards and two touchdowns. Thankfully MSU’s defense and secondary looked much improved against FAU, so hopefully that carries over into this weekend’s matchup.
The opportunity in front of MSU on Saturday is massive. The Spartans are big underdogs in this matchup which they probably deserve, but a win would do wonders not just for the overall perception of the team but for their confidence moving forward.
I’ve got a strange feeling that we’re going to be very happy around 7 p.m. ET Saturday night.
Maryland
Maryland makes filing taxes online free for some
![Maryland makes filing taxes online free for some Maryland makes filing taxes online free for some](https://thebaltimorebanner.com/resizer/v2/VNZHS3ZRPZFIPLMIQSBCIVIK4M.jpg?auth=ff77372d15f6509b1a1f9c396b1babd2c44c98f67411941eae674ed3f248e4b4&width=657&smart=true&quality=85)
More than 700,000 Marylanders should be able to file their state and federal income tax returns online for free next year, saving residents hours of work and hundreds of dollars on tax software and prep services.
Maryland joined dozens of states Wednesday in a voluntary federal program called Direct File after a test run received positive reviews and showed possible cost savings. Filing paper returns by mail will still be an option.
“It’s unacceptable that Marylanders should have to pay any portion whatsoever of their refund or paycheck to fulfill a mandatory requirement like filing tax returns,” Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman said at a news conference in Annapolis.
The first-term Democrat called the program a game changer for Maryland taxpayers that will modernize her agency. It targets low-to-moderate earners with relatively simple tax returns, and is expected to expand over time.
Lierman’s office will partner with the nonprofit Code for America to integrate the Maryland tax filing system into Direct File. Eligibility requirements will be announced in January, the comptroller’s office said.
Gov. Wes Moore, State Treasurer Dereck E. Davis, members of Maryland’s congressional delegation, U.S. Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo and nonprofit partners joined Lierman for the announcement.
Funds from the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 helped build and test the system. The IRS and Treasury Department then invited states to participate.
The IRS has been considering a free e-filing option for low-income American taxpayers for decades, according to the Congressional Research Service. When tax prep companies pushed back, the federal government agreed not to compete with them if they provided free help and e-filing to low-earning taxpayers.
However, many qualified taxpayers were pushed toward paid services, according to an investigation by nonprofit news outlet ProPublica.
The IRS piloted Direct File in 12 states this year. Filers used a laptop, tablet, cellphone or other device to submit income returns and request certain tax credits offered to low-earning individuals and families.
In a survey, nine out of 10 Direct File users ranked their experience as “Excellent” or “Above Average.”
U.S. Rep Steny Hoyer, a Democrat representing Maryland’s 5th District, called paying taxes the “price of our democracy.”
“We ought to make it as easy as possible for people to comply with a legal obligation that they have to support their country, their state and their communities,” he said. “And this system of Direct File does that.”
Robin McKinney, CEO and co-founder of CASH Campaign of Maryland, said easy, free online filing makes the government work more efficiently for citizens and should deliver refunds and credits to taxpayers faster.
McKinney’s nonprofit promotes economic advancement for low- to moderate-income Marylanders and provides free tax help, among other services.
Economic Security Project, a nonprofit that advocates for guaranteed income and economic equity for working families, found that adopting Direct File could mean $355 million in costs and time saved for Maryland’s low- to moderate-earners.
Maryland recently has expanded tax credits for working families, but about $152 million goes unclaimed each year, according to the Security Project’s analysis.
They also estimated that about $148 million could be saved in filing fees and $56 million could be saved in time spent filing taxes.
That money could have gone into Marylanders’ pockets, CASH Campaign’s McKinney said, and it could have gone back into the state’s economy.
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