Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon is fighting for her political career and freedom as she faces two separate felony trials, according to the Baltimore Sun.

Dixon will go to trail in Nov. for allegedly stealing gift cards donated by local businesses and charities for the poor.  Her lawyers are trying to convince a judge to throw out perjury charges stemming from her not disclosing gifts she received from her boyfriend, a developer who was awarded city contracts.

The Baltimore NAACP questions who has the power to appoint an interim mayor if Dixon is removed?

A race for mayor in a suburban Cleveland community has become a national story as allegations of cross-dressing, criminal activity and police corruption hit the airwaves of a nationally syndicated news program.

On Tuesday, East Cleveland Mayor Eric Brewer appeared on Inside Edition to discuss allegations he levied against his opponent, Gary Norton, the East Cleveland Police Department and other city employees for “stealing” and disseminating photos of him in drag days before the election.

Brewer lost the Primary Election to Norton by a 2-1 margin.

Brewer, who admits taking to posing in several several pictures wearing bras, panties, hosiery, make-up and wigs wants the Ohio State Police to investigate who stole the photographs and is suing news organizations who broadcast the photos.

The Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) held a press conference yesterday in Washington DC to announce their plans to clean up their act while defending their work for minorities families.

Video Courtesy of TheGrio.com

Judge Delays Jefferson Trial

Rep. William Jefferson (D-La.), who is on trial on charges of corruption and influence peddling, will get a few days to find an expert witness to testify on his behalf.  The prosecution alleges that Jefferson tried to charge money for securing legislation. However, Jefferson’s attorneys argue that if the government had such juicy evidence of bribery against their client they should have introduced it from the outset. Read more.

Obama says he knew nothing of governor’s alleged corruption. Illinois governor is out on bond after an arrest on corruption charges. Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was released on $4,500 bail after appearing in court Tuesday afternoon on federal corruption charges. Blagojevich is accused of attempting to sell the Illinois Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama. His arrests were the result of what the governor said in wiretaps from phones at his home and campaign headquarters, investigators said. FBI officials say they were shocked and disgusted by what they heard Blagojevich say on the wiretaps, particularly considering that the governor knew he had been under investigation for hiring irregularities over the past three years. “It’s a bleeping valuable thing,” Patrick Fitzgerald, the U.S. attorney in Illinois, said Blagojevich said on the wiretap. “You just don’t give it up for nothing.” In a 76-page affidavit, federal officials said the governor had been “working furiously” to get as much money as he could before the holidays for Obama’s old Senate seat. The governor is charged with conspiracy to commit mail, wire fraud and solicitation of bribery, authorities said.  He was also expecting a key federal appointment or other plum Capitol Hill job in the pay-to-play scheme. “This is a sad day for government,” Fitzgerald said at a news conference on Tuesday to announce the governor’s arrest. “Gov. Blagojevich has taken us to a new low. This conduct would make [Abraham] Lincoln roll over in his grave.” Lincoln was a congressman from Illinois before becoming president. Fitzgerald said that the governor had expressed displeasure with the Obama camp for refusing to play the game, and that there was no evidence of Obama or his associates talking with the governor about the Senate seat. “I had no contact with the governor or his office… . So I had no idea what was happening,” Obama said on Tuesday. The president-elect called it a “sad day for the state of Illinois.” Released on bond, Blagojevich is still the Illinois governor and, as such, can still appoint Obama’s replacement. Democrats fear that if that happens, Obama’s successor could be tainted by the scandal and are threatening not to seat the replacement if Blagojevich does make a pick.