Local
In ironic twist, anti-gay Md. lawmaker indicted
Del. Alston accused of using campaign funds to pay for wedding
Del. Tiffany Alston helped derail Maryland’s same-sex marriage bill last year. (Photo courtesy of Maryland House of Delegates website)
Maryland Del. Tiffany Alston (D-P.G. County) has been indicted on felony theft and other charges and is accused of using campaign funds to pay for personal expenses, including costs associated with her 2010 wedding.
LGBT activists in Maryland consider the development an ironic twist, given that Alston played a prominent role in the defeat of Maryland’s same-sex marriage bill earlier this year. Alston, an early co-sponsor of the bill, later changed her mind and voted against it.
State prosecutor Emmet Davitt announced a series of charges against Alston on Sept. 23, including: one count of felony theft; one count of misdemeanor theft; one count of fraudulent misappropriation by a fiduciary and two election law violations. The prosecutor alleges that Alston used campaign funds for personal uses, including $3,560 to cover wedding-related expenses. The felony charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
“There is simply no excuse for candidates or their responsible campaign finance officers to flagrantly and repeatedly violate the requirements of the law in the conduct of their campaign finances,” Davitt said in a statement. “We will, therefore, continue to vigorously investigate and, when warranted, prosecute, the candidates, officers and committees who flout these laws.”
Alston responded to the indictment in a brief statement she e-mailed to the news media.
“I emphatically deny any criminal wrongdoing and look forward to the appropriate opportunity to address the accusations lodged against me,” she said.
The investigation leading to Alston’s indictment was carried out by the Maryland Office of the State Prosecutor, an independent office created to fight corruption in government.
James Cabezas, the lead investigator in the case, said the office decided not to place Alston under arrest but instead presented her with a criminal summons instructing her to appear in court in about 30 days, where she will be formally charged.
He said the indictment was handed down by a grand jury in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court because the alleged offenses fall under the jurisdiction of the state Board of Election in Annapolis, where campaign finance documents are filed.
“Del. Alston certainly deserves her day in court,” said Lisa Polyak, a member of the board of Equality Maryland, the statewide LGBT group that coordinated lobbying efforts for the same-sex marriage bill that died in the Maryland Legislature earlier this year.
“But our concern with Del. Alston always was and will continue to be that she made a promise to support equal rights for same-sex couples in Maryland and she’s reneged on that promise,” Polyak said. “We think it’s important that you keep your promises as an elected official and as somebody who represents a group of people who need those legal protections.”
Patrick Wojahn, president of the Equality Maryland Foundation board and an elected member of the College Park, Md., City Council, said that as a Prince George’s County resident he was saddened over Alston’s indictment.
“It doesn’t look well on our county and on our state when things like this happen,” he said. “But I don’t wish any ill will upon her…I hope that maybe someday she’ll come around and be more supportive of equal marriage rights.”
Polyak and Wojahn said they were uncertain over what, if any, impact Alston’s indictment might have on her re-election bid in 2014. A group of conservative black ministers in the majority-black Prince George’s County have taken credit for persuading Alston to drop her support for the same-sex marriage bill.
A coalition of LGBT organizations working with Equality Maryland on the marriage bill say they plan to bolster their efforts to persuade black residents in key legislative districts, including those in P.G. County and in Baltimore, to support the bill when it comes up again for a vote next year.
Rehoboth Beach
Rehoboth Summer Kickoff Party set for May 15 with Ashley Biden
The Washington Blade’s 19th annual Summer Kickoff Party is scheduled for Friday, May 15 in Rehoboth Beach, Del.
Ashley Biden, daughter of President Joe Biden, has joined the list of speakers, the Blade announced. She will accept an award on behalf of her brother Beau Biden for his LGBTQ advocacy work as Delaware attorney general. (Her appearance was rescheduled from last year.)
The event, to be held this year at Diego’s (37298 Rehoboth Ave. Ext.) from 5-7 p.m., is a fundraiser for the Blade Foundation’s Steve Elkins Memorial Fellowship in Journalism, which funds a summer position reporting on LGBTQ news in Delaware. This year’s recipient will be introduced at the event.
The event will also feature remarks from state Rep. Claire Snyder-Hall. New CAMP Rehoboth Executive Director Dr. Robin Brennan and Blade editor Kevin Naff will also speak. The event is generously sponsored by Realtor Justin Noble, The Avenue Inn & Spa, and Diego’s.
A suggested donation of $25 is partially tax deductible and includes a drink ticket and light appetizers. Tickets are available in advance at bladefoundation.org/rehoboth or at the door.
District of Columbia
Curve magazine honors Washington Blade publisher
Lynne Brown named to 2026 Power List
Washington Blade Publisher Lynne Brown has been named to the 2026 Curve Power List celebrating LGBTQ+ women and nonbinary individuals in North America who are blazing trails in their chosen fields.
“From sports and entertainment icons to corporate leaders and lawmakers, these individuals are breaking barriers, challenging norms, and shaping the future,” Curve Foundation/Curve magazine said in announcing this year’s list, which includes ABC newscaster Robin Roberts, comedian/actress Hannah Einbinder, and singer/actress Renee Rapp, among others.
Brown has worked for the Washington Blade for nearly 40 years. She was named publisher in 2007 before becoming a co-owner in 2010.
“I am honored to be recognized by Curve magazine during Lesbian Visibility Week,” Brown said. “Receiving this Curve honor is twofold. I was an early subscriber to Curve. I enjoy the product and know its history. Its journalism, layout and humorous features have inspired me.
“As an owner/publisher, receiving recognition from a similar source acknowledges my work and efforts, with a sincerity I truly appreciate. Franco Stevens, the publisher of Curve, is a business person of duration, experience, and purpose. The fact that they are in the media business, and honoring me and my publication makes it a tiny bit sweeter.”
Nominations for the Curve Power List come from the community: peers, mentors, fans, and employers.
Curve explained the significance of the list in its announcement: “An annual, publicly nominated list of impactful LGBTQ+ women and nonbinary changemakers is crucial in current times to counter discrimination, legislative rollbacks, hostility, and the invisibility of queer women within mainstream and marginal spaces and endeavors. Such a list also fosters encouragement and solidarity, and elevates voices and achievements—from high-profile roles to under appreciated areas of life.”
Rehoboth Beach
Auction of Rehoboth’s Blue Moon canceled
Details on sale of iconic bar, restaurant not disclosed
The Blue Moon in Rehoboth Beach, Del., has been an iconic presence in the local LGBTQ community for four decades but its status remains murky after a sheriff’s auction of the property was abruptly called off on Tuesday.
The property was listed for sale in December. At that time, owner Tim Ragan told the Blade that he is committed to preserving its legacy as a gay-friendly space.
“We had no idea the interest this would create,” Ragan said in December. “I guess I was a little naive about that.”
Ragan explained that he and longtime partner Randy Haney were separating the real estate from the business. The two buildings associated with the sale were listed by Carrie Lingo at 35 Baltimore Ave., and include an apartment, the front restaurant (6,600 square feet with three floors and a basement), and a secondary building (roughly 1,800 square feet on two floors). They were listed for $4.5 million.
The bar and restaurant business is being sold separately; the price was not publicly disclosed.
But then, earlier this year, the Blue Moon real estate listing turned up on the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office auction site. The auction was slated for Tuesday, April 21 but hours before the sale, the listing changed to “active under contract” indicating that a buyer has been found but the sale is not yet final. As of Wednesday morning, the listing has been removed from the sheriff’s auction site.
Ragan didn’t respond to Blade inquiries about the auction. Back in December, he told the Blade, “It’s time to look for the next people who can continue the history of the Moon and cultivate the next chapter,” noting that he turns 70 this year. “We’re not panicked; we separated the building from the business. Some buyers can’t afford both.”
The identity of the buyer was not disclosed, nor was the sale price.
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