Baltimore State’s Attorney Ivan Bates endorses Zeke Cohen for council president

Baltimore State’s Attorney Ivan Bates endorsed Councilman Zeke Cohen in the race for City Council president Wednesday, lending a well-positioned hand to the non-incumbent seeking to unseat Council President Nick Mosby.

During an event at Bmore Cutz Barbershop, Bates said Cohen would be a “true partner” to his office, in particular on his work to increase the use of the citation docket to address low-level city crime that affects the quality of life.

“It’s vital that we elect effective leaders who are willing to put the interest of the city first and not their own interest,” Bates said before a crowd of several dozen supporters. “Someone who understands the complexity of crime and works with our office, my office, with integrity, continuously striving to be educated, informed on the cause and consequence of crime, poverty and unemployment. Zeke seeks the counsel of those who are focused on these issues.”

Cohen, a sophomore councilman who has represented Canton, Fells Point and Highlandtown since 2016, is hoping to unseat Mosby, Baltimore’s council president since 2020. Both are Democrats. Former Councilwoman Shannon Sneed, a Democrat, is also vying for the position. Cohen has, thus far, led the field in fundraising efforts. He had $532,233 on hand as of January, compared to Mosby’s $183,274.

Bates, a Democrat and former defense attorney, was elected in 2022, defeating former State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby, a Democrat and Nick Mosby’s now ex-wife.

The East Baltimore event Wednesday drew a crowd that included former Baltimore State’s Attorney Gregg Bernstein, a Democrat, who served from 2011 to 2015, before he was unseated by Marilyn Mosby. Bates was introduced by Wanda Heard, former chief judge of the Baltimore City Circuit Court. Heard urged the crowd to consider the similarities between Bates and Cohen.

“These are two men with the same mission,” Heard said. “They understand that their jobs are similar, but different, and they need to work together.”

Cohen pledged to be a partner in Bates’ work on the citation docket. The Bates initiative calls for law enforcement to issue criminal citations to people for low-level offenses, such as loitering, drinking in public and drug possession. Those who receive citations are required to report to a special docket, hosted once monthly in three of the city’s four District Court locations, where prosecutors are supposed to offer community service in lieu of prosecution.

The program marks a departure from Marilyn Mosby’s time as state’s attorney when she discontinued the prosecution of low-level offenses.

The City Council hosted a hearing earlier this month that revealed only 37 citations written by Baltimore Police have made it to a citation docket since its July launch. Some members of the council have been critical of city police, arguing they should be taking better advantage of the program and training around how to use it.

Cohen said Wednesday the docket is the “embodiment of what everyone keeps saying that they want. … When I become City Council president, you have a partner in that work,” he said. “We will make sure our police understand it’s important.”

While state’s attorneys are elected officials, political endorsements from sitting state’s attorneys are unusual. Bates said after Wednesday’s event that he felt compelled to endorse in the council president race because of the potential for partnership. Cohen endorsed Bates in 2022.

“He’s reached out talking to me over and over again,” Bates said of Cohen. “No one else is reaching out talking to me.”

Asked if he planned to endorse any other city candidates this cycle, Bates said he has no plans at the moment, but he left the possibility open.

“As I walk around this city, we’ll see where we are,” he said.