Alston cannot be reinstated, AG says

Former Maryland Delegate Tiffany Alston is still barred from office despite a reduction of her sentence on misconduct charges, according to an opinion issued Tuesday evening by the state attorney general's office.

Democratic Gov. Martin O'Malley asked the office on Friday to review Ms. Alston's status after her lawyers argued that she should be allowed to reclaim her seat after completing her sentence of community service. Ms. Alston pleaded guilty last month to charges that she used campaign funds to pay for her wedding.

After the Prince George's Democrat has completed the required community service, a judge reduced her sentence to probation.

The attorney general's letter said that the judge's revision was not enough to qualify Ms. Alston for reinstatement because it did not amount to a declaration that her sentence was wrongly imposed.

This month, the Prince George's County Democratic Central Committee chose Greg Hall as Mrs. Alston's replacement, but the nomination is still pending approval from Mr. O'Malley.

On Friday, the governor asked the committee to withdraw its nomination while the attorney general's office looked into Ms. Alston's status, but it has yet to officially do so. The committee is scheduled to meet Tuesday night.

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