Baltimore mayor to overturn pandemic ban on strip clubs days after lawsuit was filed

Baltimore’s strippers can return to their poles after prevailing in a fight against a city ban on adult entertainment during the coronavirus pandemic.

Democratic Mayor Brandon Scott agreed to lift the ban, according to the attorneys who filed a lawsuit against the city last week on behalf of TC Entertainment, owner of The Penthouse Club.

That suit, filed in federal court, alleged the club’s First Amendment right to free speech was violated by the ban.

A hearing had been scheduled for Friday before U.S. District Judge Ellen Hollander.

But an attorney for the plaintiff, Andrew Saller, said Wednesday that an agreement had been reached that will make the case moot.

“The Penthouse Club is thrilled to be resuming live adult entertainment, and is ecstatic that their staff members will once again be able to return to work,” Saller said Wednesday night.

Stefanie Mavronis, Scott’s spokeswoman, said the mayor will revise his executive order to place strip clubs and other adult entertainment into other existing categories. Depending on the way clubs are licensed, they may be regulated as restaurants or live entertainment, she said. The new rules will be effective Friday at 3 p.m., she said.

“The city updates its executive orders based on trends in the city’s COVID-19 reopening indicators, as it has throughout the pandemic,” Mavronis said. “The city will continue to enforce its executive order, and establishments allowed to open will need to follow all relevant health and safety guidance.”

Clubs such as the Penthouse

Club have been closed since Dec. 11, when Scott signed an order calling for the closure of all “indoor recreational establishments.” The order was broad, also banning indoor and outdoor dining and capping the number of visitors to retail and religious institutions, gyms, malls and museums at 25% of capacity.

Since then, Scott has relaxed restrictions on many of the institutions named in the order, reopening indoor and outdoor dining Jan. 22, for instance. Indoor recreation establishments were permitted to reopen at 25% of capacity — except strip clubs and hookah and cigar lounges. The lounges were allowed to reopen their retail operations at 25% of capacity, but are barred from on-site smoking.

In their lawsuit, attorneys for the Penthouse Club argued that it was unfairly targeted based on the type of service it provides.

“The [executive order] specifically, and unabashedly targets adult entertainment venues,” the lawsuit states. “There is not even an attempt to cloak the [executive order] with any other meaning. All live entertainment is permitted except adult entertainment venues.”

The lawsuit was the latest sign of mounting pressure on Scott from the industry. Last week, out-of-work dancers and other employees of the city’s clubs held a protest in front of City Hall. Clutching signs and bullhorns, the group chanted “Who are we? Strippers! … What do we want? Our jobs back!”

Baltimore has faced other lawsuits over its COVID restrictions — which generally have been stricter than those in much of the rest of the state — but none that have been successful. In December, the Restaurant Association of Maryland sued the city over its dining ban. Restaurant owners argued they were unfairly singled out for restrictions.

A Baltimore Circuit Court judge denied the group’s request for an injunction and eventually sided with the city.

The Penthouse Club has pledged to take measures to ensure that its clientele remain socially distant inside the club when it reopens. Tables and chairs have been spaced out, Insley said earlier this week. Dancers will perform at least 6 feet from patrons, and cables will be installed around dancers’ cages to keep patrons back, he said.

“The Penthouse Club is thrilled to be resuming live adult entertainment, and is ecstatic that their staff members will once again be able to return to work.”

— Andrew Saller, attorney for the plaintiff

Former Laurel Police Chief David Crawford was arrested Wednesday and is facing attempted murder charges in connection with multiple arsons.

Crawford is being charged with 12 arsons that took place from 2011 to 2020 involving multiple homes, vehicles and residential garages in Howard, Prince George’s, Frederick and Montgomery counties.

The Prince George’s County Police Department said each case was investigated separately, and Crawford is being charged in each of the jurisdictions where the fires took place.

Police said, through their investigation, they determined the intentional fires were connected to individuals with whom Crawford had disagreements. The victims include a former Laurel official, three former law enforcement officials including a former Laurel police chief, two relatives, two of Crawford’s former physicians and a resident in his neighborhood.

No one was injured in any of the 12 fires, said Jennifer Donelan, Prince George’s County fire spokesperson.

Crawford served as the Laurel police chief from 2006 until his resignation in 2010.

Police said multiple agencies — including the Prince George’s County Arson Task Force and county police and fire departments from Howard, Prince George’s, Frederick and Montgomery — arrested Crawford, 69, Wednesday at his Ellicott City home.

In six of the arsons, police said the victims and their families were inside the homes. Because there were clear signs individuals were home at the time of the fires, police in Howard and Prince George’s charged Crawford with attempted murder.

In Prince George’s, Crawford is charged with 20 felonies, including four counts of first-degree attempted murder, four counts of second-degree attempted murder, one count of first-degree arson, six counts of first-degree malicious burning and five counts of second-degree arson.

In Montgomery County, he is charged with seven felonies, including three counts of first-degree arson, three counts of first-degree malicious burning and one count of second-degree arson.

In Howard County, he is charged with more than 24 felonies, including eight counts of first-degree attempted murder, eight counts of second-degree attempted murder, three counts of first-degree malicious burning, two counts of first-degree arson, two counts of second-degree arson, one count of second-degree malicious burning and various malicious destruction charges.

In Frederick County, Crawford is charged with one count of first-degree arson, one count of second-degree arson and one count of first-degree malicious burning.

According to Prince George’s police, Crawford is also a suspect in a Charles County vehicle fire.

Police said they first searched Crawford’s Howard County home in January and found a target list of known victims along with other evidence.

That’s when Laurel Mayor Craig Moe said he first found out about the investigation. Moe, who has known Crawford since November 2005, appointed Crawford as Laurel’s acting police chief in 2006.

“I have not seen or spoken to him in 10 years since he’s left,” Moe said in an interview Wednesday night.

According to Moe, during Crawford’s tenure he was heavily involved in the community. Though Moe heard that some in the police department were unhappy with Crawford, it wasn’t out of the ordinary for someone in Crawford’s position.

“I don’t know why he would go after two people who are appointed positions in this government,” Moe said. “It’s very disturbing. Somebody who took an oath of office to protect and serve, that’s not how you protect and serve.”

Moe said the investigation is ongoing, but he will share more information with the community when he is able.

Crawford is currently being held at the Howard County Detention Center.