| Erek Barron | |
| Term Start: | October 7, 2021 |
| State Delegate1: | Maryland |
| Term Start1: | January 14, 2015 |
| Term End1: | October 7, 2021 |
| Birth Place: | Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Residence: | Bowie, Maryland, U.S. |
| Education: | University of Maryland, College Park (BA) George Washington University (JD) Georgetown University (LLM) |
| Signature: | Erek Barron signature.svg |
Erek Lawrence Barron (born 1974)[1] is an American attorney and politician serving as the United States Attorney for the District of Maryland since 2021. He is a former member of the Maryland House of Delegates from the 24th district.[2]
Barron was born in Washington, D.C., and attended the Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia. In 1996, he graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. Three years later, he earned a Juris Doctor from the George Washington University Law School and was admitted to the Maryland Bar the same year. He later earned a Master of Laws, with a focus on International Law and National Security Law, from Georgetown University Law Center.[3]
Barron has worked for the Maryland law firm of Whiteford, Taylor & Preston and is a member of the American Bar Association. Barron is a former prosecutor and has worked as an assistant state's attorney for Prince George's County and Baltimore City (2001–2006), a trial attorney in United States Department of Justice (2006–2007), and counsel and policy advisor to the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary and Senator Joe Biden (2007–2009).
Barron first won election to the Maryland House of Delegates in 2014. He was sworn into office on January 14, 2015. In 2015, he and three other male legislators joined the Women's Legislators of Maryland Caucus, becoming the first men to join a women's caucus in the United States.[4]
In 2019, Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates Adrienne A. Jones appointed Barron to chair the Joint Committee on Fair Practices.[5] In this capacity, he investigated the circumstances surrounding the $238,250 severance package paid to Roy McGrath, the former director of the Maryland Environmental Service and the chief of staff of Governor Larry Hogan.[6] Barron later recused himself from the McGrath case after becoming U.S. attorney, citing his role in the investigation.[7]
On July 26, 2021, Barron was nominated to be the United States attorney for the District of Maryland.[8] On September 23, 2021, his nomination was reported out of committee by voice vote.[9] On September 30, 2021, his nomination was confirmed in the United States Senate by voice vote.[10] On October 7, 2021, he was sworn into office by Chief Judge James K. Bredar.[11] He is Maryland's first black U.S. attorney.[12]
On August 24, 2022, Barron announced a $3.5 million plan for addressing violent crime in Baltimore, which included new hires for the office's violent and organized crime section and pursuing repeat violent offenders "for any and all wrongdoing that meets our priorities, especially fraud."[13] [14]
During the 2016 legislative session, Barron pushed for the Justice Reinvestment Act to include a repeal of mandatory minimum sentencing laws.[15] In March, the House Judiciary Committee voted 17–3 to adopt the "Barron-Wilson amendment" repealing mandatory minimums for nonviolent drug offenders while increasing penalties for leaders of gangs and organized crime.[16] He also introduced legislation to prohibit public and private colleges and universities from including questions about criminal history on their applications.[17]
In August 2016, Barron and four other state legislators sent a joint letter to Attorney General Brian Frosh to review the constitutionality of setting bail without considering whether a defendant could afford to pay under the 14th Amendment. The Attorney General's office responded to the letter in October by issuing an opinion stating that such a system was a possible violation of due process.[18] In November, the Standing Committee on Rules of Practice and Procedure of the Maryland Court of Appeals voted 18–5 to recommend a policy change to prohibit Maryland judges from setting bail that is too high for defendants to pay unless the defendant is considered a flight risk or a danger to society.[19] In February 2017, the Court of Appeals voted unanimously to adopt the rule change.[20] During the 2017 legislative session, Barron sought to enshrine the court rule change into law.[21]
During the 2019 legislative session, Barron introduced legislation to ease the process for prosecutors looking to overturn convictions deemed to be tainted or unjust. The bill passed[22] and became law.[23] He also introduced a bill to require county jails to provide addiction screening, counseling, and treatment with the use of methadone, Suboxone, and Vivitrol.[24] The bill passed and was signed into law by Governor Larry Hogan on May 13, 2019.[25]
During the 2020 legislative session, Barron introduced legislation to ease restrictions on when prosecutors could use hearsay evidence in cases of witness intimidation, and another bill to designate witness intimidation a crime of violence.[26]
In April 2019, Barron and state Senator James Rosapepe launched "Biden for Maryland", becoming the first two Maryland lawmakers to endorse his bid for president.[27]
In May 2016, Barron and Marc Korman released a list of Metro reform proposals, including ideas involving dedicated funding, the make-up of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority board, and vendors in stations to boost revenue.[28] [29] During the 2018 legislative session, he introduced legislation to raise the state's annual contribution to Metro by $125 million a year if Virginia and the Washington, D.C. agreed to do the same.[30]