ROCKVILLE, Md., Oct. 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington President Harvey Reiter today issued the following statement:

An article in today's Washington Post quoted Councilmember Phil Andrews as characterizing a 15-year-old contract between the County and the Berman Academy for the sale of land on which the Academy's school is located as a deal that "smells."  It also attributes to Councilmember Andrews speculation that County Executive Leggett's support for the sale of the property "might" be a favor offered to former Duncan official Jerry Pasternak for his "support for the county's ambulance fee referendum," which Mr. Andrews opposes.  We hope that the Post has mischaracterized the Councilmember's comments because they are unfounded and unsubstantiated and because their  implied  assault on the integrity of the County Executive and Mr. Pasternak is  offensive.

The County Executive and the Berman Academy have been engaged in negotiations for months to conclude an agreement that is fair to both parties. To imply that the County Executive would be motivated to allow the Academy to exercise a right promised to it in a 15-year-old contract solely (and inexplicably) to win favor with a former Duncan aide demeans the integrity and character and motivations of Messrs. Leggett and Pasternak.  

We hope that if these were Mr. Andrews's comments, a public apology will be forthcoming and if they were not his sentiments, that he will publicly disavow them.

The Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington (JCRC) is the public affairs and community relations arm of the Jewish community representing 210 Jewish organizations and synagogues throughout DC, Maryland, and Virginia. The JCRC focuses on government relations, Israel advocacy, inter-group relations, and social justice.

SOURCE Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington