July 26, 2021: Baltimore City Employee Pleads Guilty to Perjury

Maryland State Prosecutor Charlton T. Howard III announced today that Elizabeth “Betsy” Gardner, who formerly worked in the Baltimore City Council President’s Office as a community liaison has pled guilty to one count of perjury.

According to a Statement of Facts read into the record, Ms. Gardner received over $15,000 payments from community organizations from 2014 through 2017 that she failed to disclose on her required city financial disclosure forms. In 2016, Ms. Gardner worked as a community liaison for the Baltimore City Council President’s Office under then Baltimore City Council President Bernard “Jack” Young, and during that time received money from several community organizations. In 2016, Ms. Gardner also ran for the District 5 City Council seat, now occupied by Councilman Isaac “Yitzy” Schleifer.

Ms. Gardner was sentenced today by the Honorable Melissa M. Phinn to a probation before judgement (PBJ), with three years’ unsupervised probation.

“Government officials are required to file truthful and accurate financial disclosure forms to ensure transparency and identify any potential conflicts of interest,” said Howard. “Our office will continue to hold accountable any public official who abuses the public trust.”

The Office of the State Prosecutor would like to acknowledge the Baltimore City Office of the Inspector General for their assistance in this case as well as the work of Deputy State Prosecutor Sarah R. David and Special Agent Cynthia Thomas from the Office of the State Prosecutor.

A copy of the statement of facts read into the record at the July 26, 2021 hearing can be found HERE.