Democrats thought they hit rock bottom with corruption scandals.
But one lawmaker just proved there's no limit to how low they'll go.
And a Democrat lawmaker was caught in one sexual blackmail scheme that put jaws on the floor.
Maryland state senator indicted in wild extortion scheme
Federal prosecutors dropped a bombshell indictment against Maryland State Senator Dalya Attar that reads like a crime thriller.¹
The Baltimore Democrat stands accused of orchestrating an elaborate blackmail operation involving hidden cameras, secret recordings, and threats against a former political consultant who dared criticize her voting record.²
Attar, who ironically served as a prosecutor before entering politics, allegedly teamed up with her brother Joseph and Baltimore police officer Kalman Finkelstein to silence a political enemy ahead of her 2022 campaign.³
The trio planted recording devices inside smoke detectors in an apartment where the consultant was staying to capture footage of the woman having an affair with a married man.⁴
That's not creative opposition research.
That's criminal conspiracy.
The indictment reveals Attar's brother entered the apartment in January 2020 and hid audio and video recording equipment specifically to catch the consultant in a compromising position.⁵
Federal prosecutors say the scheme was designed to prevent the consultant from saying anything negative about Attar's campaign or working for political opponents.⁶
Former prosecutor turned blackmailer faces serious federal time
Here's where this gets really ugly.
Officer Finkelstein used his badge to help coordinate the surveillance operation while working on Attar's campaign.⁷
When the former consultant dared post criticism of Attar's voting record on Facebook in April 2022, Attar fired off WhatsApp messages to her co-conspirators saying the woman "needs to know we're serious."⁸
Joseph Attar tracked down the consultant's lover and delivered the threat.
"I'll share this video with everybody you know, everyone she knows, every Rabbi in town, your kids, your wife, her daughters," he told the man.⁹
Think about that for a second.
A sitting state legislator who spent years as a prosecutor threatening to destroy multiple families over a Facebook post criticizing her votes.¹⁰
Attar faces eight federal counts including conspiracy, extortion, and illegal wiretapping.¹¹
Each charge carries substantial prison time if she's convicted.
Prosecutors say Attar sent voice messages in March 2021 plotting how to "get her to just shut up and leave us alone," admitting the consultant was "a smart lady" who "knows how to screw with people."¹²
The Baltimore Democrat corruption machine rolls on
This scandal drops Attar right into Baltimore's hall of shame alongside two mayors who went down for corruption.
Former Mayor Catherine Pugh is doing time in federal prison for her "Healthy Holly" scam — selling worthless children's books to companies doing business with Baltimore in exchange for hundreds of thousands in kickbacks.¹⁴
Before Pugh, Mayor Sheila Dixon got caught stealing gift cards meant for needy families and had to resign.¹⁵
But wait, there's more.
A University of Illinois study found Baltimore's federal district logged 352 corruption convictions in just one decade — second highest in the entire nation.¹⁶
State Senator Nathaniel Oaks took bribes and got 42 months in prison.¹⁷
State Delegate Cheryl Glenn pocketed $33,750 in payoffs to influence legislation.¹⁸
Multiple Baltimore police commissioners went to jail for corruption.¹⁹
The city's Gun Task Force — supposed to get weapons off the streets — spent a decade robbing drug dealers and breaking into homes.²⁰
Every single one of them Democrats.
Attar was appointed to the state Senate in January 2025 after serving in the House since 2018.²¹
She made history as the first Orthodox Jewish woman in the Maryland Senate.²²
Now she's making history as the first Maryland state senator indicted for running a blackmail ring with hidden cameras.
The consultant she targeted worked on Attar's winning 2018 campaign before they had a disagreement and parted ways.²³
Normal politicians accept criticism and move on.
Attar allegedly deployed a police officer and spy cameras.
Senate President Bill Ferguson put out the standard damage-control statement about how the Senate holds members to "the highest ethical standards."²⁴
Sure they do.
That's why Baltimore keeps producing corrupt Democrats like clockwork while party bosses look the other way until the FBI shows up with handcuffs.
Maryland voters handed Democrats total control of state government.
Democrats rewarded that trust with a corruption epidemic that would make Chicago blush.
Attar's blackmail scheme proves these people view public office as a license to break any law necessary to silence critics and protect their power.
The consultant dared to question Attar's voting record on social media.
Federal prosecutors say Attar's response was hidden cameras, secret recordings, and threats to destroy innocent families.
That's not politics.
That's organized crime with a government salary.
¹ Harold Hutchison, "Sex, Lies And Videotape: Democrat Lawmaker Indicted In Wild Alleged Extortion Scheme," Daily Caller, October 30, 2025.
² Ibid.
³ Ibid.
⁴ Ibid.
⁵ Ibid.
⁶ Ibid.
⁷ "Baltimore City State Senator Dalya Attar indicted on federal charges of extortion and conspiracy," WMAR, October 30, 2025.
⁸ "State senator federally charged with extortion in blackmail scheme," The Banner, October 30, 2025.
⁹ "Maryland state senator indicted in federal court on extortion and conspiracy charges," ABC News, October 30, 2025.
¹⁰ Ibid.
¹¹ Hutchison.
¹² "Senator, brother, officer indicted in federal extortion, conspiracy case," WBAL, October 30, 2025.
¹² "DOJ charges MD state Sen. Dalya Attar and Baltimore cop with blackmailing former aide," The Daily Record, October 30, 2025.
¹³ "Ex-Mayor's Indictment Adds to Baltimore's Corruption Woes," NBC Washington, November 21, 2019.
¹⁴ Ibid.
¹⁵ "Indictments of Two Recent Mayors Overshadow Broader Corruption in Baltimore," Baltimore Magazine, October 25, 2021.
¹⁶ "In Depth: Maryland Leaders and Corruption," Fox Baltimore, February 27, 2020.
¹⁷ Ibid.
¹⁸ Ibid.
¹⁹ "Mayor's corruption scandal further fuels Baltimore's cynicism about politics," PBS NewsHour, April 27, 2019.
²⁰ "Senator, brother, officer indicted in federal extortion, conspiracy case," WBAL.
²¹ "Maryland state senator indicted in federal court on extortion and conspiracy charges," ABC News.
²² Ibid.
²³ Hutchison.