This Is One State Senator That Should Be In Jail

Democrat state senator indicted for taking cash in corruption scandal

January 8, 2018

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Between Hillary Clinton’s emails, the Russia-uranium scandal, and the recent resignations of several sitting members of Congress over sexual misconduct allegations, the seedy underbelly of American politics has been seeing far more sunshine than usual recently. Now, yet another Democrat has been caught in a pay-to-play scandal, but unlike the Clintons’, this one is actually going to trial.

According to court documents, Maryland State Sen. Nathaniel Oaks (D-Baltimore) confessed to taking cash payments from an undercover FBI agent in return for favorable legislation.

Despite the confession, Oaks has pleaded not guilty and will continue to serve as a lawmaker for the entire upcoming legislative session, which concludes just before his mid-April trial.

The Sting

According to prosecutors, Oaks is accused of accepting bribes to the tune of $15,300 from an FBI agent that he knew as a Texas businessman named Mike Henley who had asked for help building a development outside of Oaks’ district. The state senator filed official paperwork on “Henley’s” behalf using his own letterhead.

Oaks reportedly went to a Baltimore hotel to meet with “Henley,” but was instead met by the FBI, who confronted the legislator with “recorded encounters of him taking cash payments.” After viewing the tapes, Oaks agreed to cooperate with the FBI, and named others with whom he had arrangements.

Investigators then armed Oaks with a recording device, and the state senator reportedly “recorded himself accepting a $2,600 cash payment from an FBI target,” known only as “Person #1,” in March 2017. Oaks apparently “told the target he would talk to legislators about a bill favorable to the bail-bond industry,” according to The Baltimore Sun. The Sun further reported:

But in subsequent encounters, at a St. Patrick’s Day party at an Annapolis bar and separately before a caucus meeting, Oaks told the FBI target: “I’m going to ask you for something. Just say no,” according to court documents.

Despite Oaks “tipping off” Person #1, he or she was questioned by the FBI and reportedly “admitted paying Oaks and another undisclosed elected official thousands of dollars over the years.”

The state senator was then indicted for wire fraud in April 2017, and was later charged with obstruction of justice.

Living the High Life

This isn’t the first time Oaks has found himself in political hot water. In 1989, Oaks was convicted of stealing more than $10,000 from his own campaign, and then lying about it under oath.

But just five years later, in 1994, Oaks was reelected to his seat in the House of Delegates, where he remained until 2016, when he was appointed to the State Senate as a replacement for a senator who resigned for health reasons.

 

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The now-state senator has been under FBI investigation since 2014, according to court documents, “based on historical reporting that Oaks was associated with individuals who were involved in illegal activities, and that Oaks had inappropriately accepted money and other things of value from businesspersons and lobbyists in his capacity as a state delegate.”

Since Oaks’ most recent charges were revealed, the Maryland state legislature has debated whether it would be fair for the governing body to vote on removing Oaks from his position before a court decision is rendered. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R), however, is adamant that the Baltimore Democrat should vacate his seat.

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“No question he should be removed from office,” Hogan told the Sun on Friday.

We agree.