The headline from tonight’s vote to confirm William A. “Pete” Welch Jr. is not the fact that the 57-year-old CPA with the embarrassing past history of criminal offenses was chosen to fill a seat on the Baltimore City Council as his mother vacates it.

As expected, Welch got the nod on a 9 to 3 vote of the council committee convened to name a replacement for 27-year District 9 council fixture Agnes Welch, according to The Baltimore Sun.

The more interesting news was who didn’t vote for Welch:

Councilman James B. Kraft nominated teacher and charter school founder Abigail Breiseth, Councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke seconded the nomination and Councilman Bill Henry also voted for Breiseth.

Who voted for Welch?

Councilman Robert W. Curran nominated Welch, Nicholas D’Adamo seconded the nomination and the others who voted for him were:

Council President Bernard C. “Jack” Young, Council Vice President Edward Reisinger and council members Warren Branch, William H. Cole IV, Belinda Conaway, Sharon Green Middleton and Carl Stokes.

Explaining his vote in a prepared statement for the media, Young said that Welch “has long since paid his debt to society and should not continuously be penalized for his past lapses in judgment.”