Sheila Dixon will be making an announcement about the 2020 Baltimore 2020 mayoral race this weekend.
Dixon announced she'll be speaking Saturday morning during the "Cocoa, Coffee and Winter clothing drive" at the Ruth M. Kirk Recreation Center. The former mayor was forced from office in 2010 amid a corruption scandal. In 2016, Dixon lost a mayoral primary to then-state Senator Catherine Pugh. Pugh resigned this year as mayor due to her own corruption scandal, and pleaded guilty to four of eleven counts in an indictment charging with tax evasion, wire fraud and conspiracy to defraud the United States. In November 2007, Dixon was elected mayor. She was the first African-American female to serve as president of the City Council, Baltimore's first female mayor, and Baltimore's third black mayor.
In January 2009, Dixon was indicted on twelve felony and misdemeanor counts, including perjury, theft, and misconduct. The charges stem partly from incidents in which she allegedly misappropriated gift cards intended for the poor. In December 2009, a jury found Dixon guilty on one misdemeanor count of fraudulent misappropriation. In a plea deal, would receive probation—at the cost of stepping down as mayor. Dixon was succeeded by then City Council president, Stephanie Rawlings-Blake in February 2010.
Clarence H. Burns was Baltimore’s first black mayor; serving only a partial term in 1987, succeeding William Schaefer-- the city’s longest serving mayor who resigned as he was elected governor. Burns lost reelection to a full term. He was followed Kurt Schmoke, the first African-American elected Mayor of Baltimore. Schmoke did not run for reelection in 1999. Sheila Dixon succeed Martin O’Malley as mayor in 1999, O’Malley resigned as he was elected governor in 2007. After Dixon’s resignation amid the corruption scandal, City Council President Stephanie Rawlings-Blake became the city’s first female elected mayor, but not seek reelection in 2016.