Aisha Braveboy

Aisha Nazapa Braveboy (born July 29, 1974) is an American politician and attorney who has served as the state's attorney of Prince George's County, Maryland since 2018. She was previously a member of the Maryland House of Delegates, representing the 25th district from 2007 to 2015.

Background
Braveboy was born in Washington, D.C., to father Cuthbert and mother Norma Braveboy, who migrated to the United States from Saint Patrick Parish, Grenada. She graduated from Largo High School and later attended the University of Maryland, College Park, where she earned a bachelor of art degree in government and politics in 1997. Afterwards, Braveboy earned her Juris Doctor degree from the Howard University School of Law in 2000.

After graduating, Braveboy became an associate with Bowie, Maryland law firm Gabriel J. Christian & Associates. From 2000 to 2002, she worked as an attorney for the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission.

Political career
Braveboy first got involved in politics in 2002, when she worked on the county executive campaign of Jack B. Johnson. From 2003 to 2005, she worked as an advisor to Prince George's County officials. Afterwards, Braveboy worked in the Office of Central Services, where she managed properties owned or leased by the county.

In 2003, Braveboy started the Community Public Awareness Council nonprofit, which sought to provide mental health services and workshops to first-time juvenile offenders and their families to reduce truancy.

In 2006, Braveboy ran for the Maryland House of Delegates in District 25, seeking to succeed state delegate Anthony Brown, who ran for Lieutenant Governor of Maryland.

In the legislature
Braveboy was sworn into the Maryland House of Delegates on January 10, 2007. During her tenure, she supported legislation to reduce mass incarceration and domestic violence, and to protect homeowners from deceptive lenders.

From 2012 to 2014, Braveboy served as the chair of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland. In this position, she advocated for increased funding for historically black colleges and universities and opposed legislation setting mandatory minimum sentences.

Committee assignments

 * Member, Economic Matters Committee, 2007–2015 (alcoholic beverages subcommittee, 2007–2010; business regulation subcommittee, 2007–2015; banking, economic development, science & technology subcommittee, 2011–2015; chair, consumer protection & commercial law subcommittee, 2011–2015, member, 2007–2015)
 * Member, Law Enforcement and State-Appointed Boards Committee, Prince George's County Delegation, 2013–2015 (bi-county committee, 2007–2008; chair, Washington suburban sanitary commission committee, 2008–2010; chair, Maryland-national capital park & planning commission committee, 2011, member, 2012)

2014 Attorney General campaign
On September 19, 2013, Braveboy filed to run for Attorney General of Maryland. Her platform included supporting the state's historically black colleges and universities, opposing the death penalty, and fighting against large polluters.

During the Democratic primary, her campaign received endorsements from various labor unions, including the Washington D.C. Building and Construction Trades Council and International Association of Fire Fighters Local 1619.

Braveboy was defeated by state senator Brian Frosh in the Democratic primary on June 24, 2014, placing last with 20.1 percent of the vote. If elected, she would have been Maryland's first African American attorney general. Following her defeat, Braveboy worked as a lobbyist for the Children's National Health System and the Innovations Group LLC until 2018.

Elections
On November 9, 2017, Braveboy announced her candidacy for state's attorney of Prince George's County. She ran on a progressive platform that included prosecuting domestic violence, expanding county diversion programs, and prosecuting repeat violent offenders. Braveboy led the Democratic primary in endorsements, which included the Prince George's County Fraternal Order of Police, correctional officers union, and various labor unions. She won the Democratic primary on June 26, 2018, receiving 62.8 percent of the vote, and ran unopposed in the general election.

Braveboy ran for reelection unopposed in 2022.

Tenure
Braveboy was sworn in as state's attorney on January 7, 2019. Upon being sworn in, she named juvenile justice reform and crackdowns on illegal guns as her top priorities while in office.

In 2019, Braveboy created the state's first conviction and sentencing integrity unit to weigh new consideration for county convictions and sentencings, which led to the release of seven people sentenced to life as juveniles. Later that year, she announced that the county would no longer recommend cash bail as a condition of release, instead requesting alternatives including counseling, drug testing, and mental health evaluations.

In March 2020, after Prince George's County recorded its first case of COVID-19, Braveboy sought the release of 150 pretrial defendants to reduce the spread of the virus.

During the 2020 legislative session, Braveboy supported legislation to make strangulation a first-degree felony assault and another bill to allow prosecutors to pursue hate crime charges for acts "motivated in part" by hate. In October 2020, she launched an initiative to support victims of domestic violence and strangulation.

In May 2021, following a national spike in carjackings, Braveboy launched a task force to increase awareness and prevention of carjackings in Prince George's County, which collaborated with community organizers to host community-focused events and broadcast commercials targeting young people. She also worked with U.S. Attorney Erek Barron to prosecute carjackings.

In August 2021, Braveboy endorsed efforts encouraging the Biden administration to create a task form to reform the justice system to be less punitive and more equitable.

Criminal justice
In 2013, Braveboy introduced a bill to remove the check box that asks if applicants have a criminal record from hiring applications for state jobs. The bill passed and was signed into law by Governor Martin O'Malley. She also voted in favor of legislation to repeal the death penalty, which passed the House of Delegates by a 82–56 vote.

In June 2020, after the American Civil Liberties Union released a 92-page partially redacted report detailing discriminatory actions taken by the Prince George's County Police Department that prompted the resignation of Chief Hank Stawinski, Braveboy called for increased police transparency and sought greater access to police officer records.

In September 2020, Braveboy said she opposed ceding the ability to prosecute police officers to an independent body, and lobbied against efforts to pass a bill doing so during the 2021 legislative session. In 2021, she testified in support of the Maryland Police Accountability Act of 2021, a police transparency and accountability reform package. In October 2021, she released the county's "do-not-call" list of 57 officers with credibility issues.

In 2021, Braveboy said she supported legislation to end life sentences without parole for juveniles.

During the 2023 legislative session, Braveboy said she supported legislation to establish a "safe harbor" to protect minors who are victims of trafficking.

During the 2024 legislative session, Braveboy supported legislation to extend probationary periods for gun crimes committed by juveniles, limit the Child Interrogation Protection Act, and allow state's attorneys to file a motion to modify an incarcerated individual's sentence "at any time".

Education
During the 2012 legislative session, Braveboy introduced legislation to require students to stay in school until they turn 18 years old, which passed and was signed into law by Governor Martin O'Malley. She also opposed shifting the state's $239 million teacher pension system to counties.

Environment
In 2012 and 2013, Braveboy opposed bills to levy a five cent tax on disposable bags.

Gun control
In April 2013, Braveboy voted for the Firearm Safety Act of 2013, a gun control reform package.

In May 2021, Braveboy launched the "Our Streets, Our Future" campaign to promote gun violence prevention efforts in Prince George's County through community engagement, employment services, and social media advertisements targeted toward young people.

In 2022, Braveboy said she supported a bill to ban privately made firearms in Maryland.

Housing
During the 2014 legislative session, Braveboy testified in support of a bill that would ban deficiency judgments and place a six-month moratorium on foreclosures.

Minimum wage
In 2013, Braveboy introduced legislation to raise the state minimum wage to $10.10 per hour by 2015. In 2014, she voted for a bill to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour by 2017.

Redistricting
During the 2010 redistricting cycle, Braveboy supported efforts to create a third minority-majority congressional district. She later voted against the state's redistricting plan, which she said "dilutes minority votes by breaking them up into several districts".

In 2014, Braveboy said she supported the Open Our Democracy Act, which would require states to use independent redistricting commissions to draw federal and state districts.

Social issues
In 2008, Braveboy voted against bills that would give domestic partners hospital visitation and medical decision-making rights in emergency situations. In 2011, during debate on the Civil Marriage Protection Act, which she voted against, Braveboy introduced an amendment that would block the bill from going into effect unless it was approved in a statewide referendum. Her amendment was criticized by supporters of same-sex marriage rights as a delay tactic, but she later defended her amendment as a way to gauge public opinion. In 2014, Braveboy voted for legislation to ban discrimination against transgender individuals.

In 2011, Braveboy abstained from voting on a bill to prohibit Prince George's County officials from taking contributions from developers with development proposals in the county, saying that she would prefer a statewide ban on such contributions.

During the 2012 legislative session, Braveboy introduced a bill to repeal a law that gave presiding religious denominations the legal authority to seize properties of local congregations.

In November 2012, Braveboy spoke against Question 4, a ballot referendum that sought to repeal Maryland's Dream Act, a bill that would extend in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants.

In 2014, Braveboy said she supported a bill to decriminalize simple marijuana possession in Maryland.

In July 2022, following the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, which repealed Roe v. Wade, Braveboy said she would not cooperate with extradition requests for individuals who travel across state lines to get an abortion.

Taxes
In 2013, Braveboy voted against a bill to index the state's gas tax to inflation to fund the state's transportation budget.