Council 'Stunned' by Leslie Johnson’s Continued Presence

Less than two weeks after trying to oust Councilwoman Leslie Johnson, council member Mary Lehman said that Johnson's continued presence on the council has become awkward.

Lehman (D-Dist. 1) of Laurel said she and other council members were stunned that Councilwoman Leslie Johnson appeared at last Tuesday’s county council meeting after resigning two weeks ago. While Johnson had set a , council members demanded she immediately leave office after she voluntarily agreed to to one count of conspiracy to commit evidence and witness tampering. 

But last Tuesday Johnson swept into the council hearing room and voted on several pieces of legislation, including confirmation votes for heads of county agencies for Prince George’s County Police and Fire/EMS, and on opposing a veto from County Executive Rushern Baker (D).

“We were stunned,” Lehman said. “I was personally stunned. I think my colleagues were as well.”

The council has of her county-issued cell phone and stopping access to grant expenditures or discretionary funding.

But the council has little authority to forcibly remove Johnson from office or halt her nearly $8,000 monthly salary. Council Chair Ingrid Turner (D-Dist. 4) said the council was in “uncharted territory” in trying to remove Johnson from office.

Lehman said Johnson’s continued presence on the council has made for an uncomfortable situation.

“The assumption was she’s not going to be coming back,” she said. “How do we deal with her?”

Lehman said Johnson had been distant from other council members since taking office in December. But after the guilty pleas, she and her husband, former County Executive Jack Johnson, entered in court this summer, there has been little conversation between Johnson and the council outside of business. Interaction with Johnson, she said, has been only cordial.

“Her time is limited. The end is in sight,” she said. “I think there is definitely a distance now. She seems more reserved and keeping to herself.”