Can sheriffs be impeached in Maryland? Not yet, says Maryland AG Brown

Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins is currently facing federal criminal charges related to purchasing machine guns and says he won't be stepping down. But could he be removed from his position as sheriff? 

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Jenkins says he has been cooperating with federal investigators for months. FOX 5's Katie Barlow spoke with Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown, who said that if Jenkins is convicted of the federal charges, he will most likely be removed.

"If the sheriff or any other public official, state public official, is convicted? Automatic removal for most crimes," said Brown. 

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But could he be impeached before he is convicted? Brown says there is no provision in the Maryland constitution enabling the impeaching of a sheriff. But that could change.

"There is one for the attorney general, the treasurer, the comptroller, the governor and the lieutenant governor as well as members of the general assembly, but there's none for the sheriff," said Brown. "I'm pretty sure that in the next session of the general assembly that is going to be corrected." 

FOX 5's Katie Barlow also spoke with Brown on the Baltimore archdiocese report detailing decades of abusing minors and covering it up. Watch the full exclusive interview Sunday night on In The Courts at 11:30 p.m., only on FOX 5.