Former Mayor Sheila Dixon Speaks Only To WJZ About A Comeback
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- WJZ has learned former mayor Sheila Dixon wants her old job back and is seriously considering running again for Baltimore mayor. If Dixon does run, it would be a direct challenge to current mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake in a primary less than a year from now.
The revelation comes in an exclusive interview with WJZ's Vic Carter.
January 2010--Sheila Dixon falls from grace. She's forced to resign--charged with misusing gift cards for the needy.
"I want it behind me. You fall from grace from people, but you don't fall from grace from God," said Dixon.
She agrees not to run for any public office for four years. Now that time is up, and she's speaking only to WJZ about a comeback.
Carter: "So running for mayor is possible for you?"
Dixon: "It's a possibility."
Carter: "What would it take for you to do that?"
Dixon: "It would take going out in the communities and the neighborhoods, sharing my strategy, my plan, talking to people, asking for support. For the last two years, people have come up to me and encouraged me to go back into public office. And I'll say, in all honesty, I'm assessing and evaluating that--because I know that that's where my calling is--to be a public servant."
Carter: "Did you miss being in public office?"
Dixon: "I've missed it since the day I left."
Carter: "You grew up in Baltimore. This is truly your home. What do you feel and what do you see in Baltimore right now--are you happy with the way the city is run?"
Dixon: "Having an opportunity to set a direction for the city and to see where we were moving--in a direction that was making results--positive results that people were seeing--I think in some ways, we have gone back a little."
Carter: "What kind of job do you think Stephanie Rawlings-Blake is doing right now?"
Dixon: "I'm not going to grade Stephanie because I just feel that criticizing her at this time would be insensitive to do that."
Carter: "What do you say to the people of Baltimore right now?"
Dixon: "I think people in Baltimore want to hear my sincerity--that I am sorry for what happened. I'm apologizing about it. I also know that people want to hear that I have not taken anything for granted in that process of what happened. And I also know that I want to thank those people in Baltimore who have been praying for me, who have been supportive of me."
Carter: "In just the brief amount of time we've been talking, you're beginning to sound more and more like a candidate..."
Dixon: "I'm not speaking as a candidate. This is Sheila--this is who I am. I love this city. I love the people in this city. I believe things can change and that if we just refocus our priorities--we can do it."
Carter: "We talked a little bit about Sheila Dixon the mayor--is there any other public office you might consider besides mayor?"
Dixon: "Not at this point."
Carter: "When would you likely make a decision?"
Dixon: "The election is April 2016. So if I do decide, it'll be soon."
WJZ will of course tell you as soon as she makes her decision.
More Exclusive Video Not Shown On-Air:
Grading Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake:
Dixon: "Of course I was embarrassed."
Dixon Says She Learned From Her Mistakes, Asks For Forgiveness:
