Maryland Politician Admits She Distrusts Her County's Oversight Agencies
Seeks Federal Government Intervention
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md., Aug. 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In a letter written to the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, Montgomery County Maryland Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg is asking the federal government to intervene in an ethics investigation of her office by the County. The letter complains that the Montgomery County Ethics Commission and the Montgomery County Attorney's office have unlawfully "swept" some of her office's computers.
The controversial Trachtenberg asks the Department of Justice for assistance, stating she has "lost confidence in the oversight function of our county government."
Trachtenberg expresses distrust in an array of County departments, including the County Attorney's Office, Ethics Commission, Department of Technology Services, Office of the Inspector General, and her own Office of the County Council, and states, "I do not feel impartial judgment or fair decisions are possible from any County authority."
Trachtenberg further states that "the residents of Montgomery County expect transparent ... behavior of all public servants."
"Councilmember Trachtenberg demands transparency from County officers, yet reportedly refuses to answer questions from the County's Ethics Commission, claiming 'legislative privilege,'" said Dr. Ruth Jacobs of Maryland Citizens for a Responsible Government (MCRG).
"Trachtenberg's apparent disconnect from the County and its citizens is not surprising," said Jacobs. "Eighty percent of Trachtenberg's campaign funding is from out-of-state."
"Few citizens realize that Trachtenberg hired aide Dana Beyer, the subject of the ethics investigation and former Vice President of Equality Maryland, a homosexual advocacy group, to assist her in passing the County's controversial transgender law."
Trachtenberg sponsored the 'gender identity' legislation at the request of Equality Maryland. The law was passed over citizens' objections and is now being used by Beyer in a multi-million dollar lawsuit against the County. Beyer is demanding $4 million for her emotional distress in response to the Montgomery County Ethics Commission investigation of her possible violation of the County's ethics law. Formerly known as Wayne Bernard Beyer, she is currently running for the Maryland state legislature. Approximately 75% of Beyer's funding is from out-of-state.
According to the lawsuit, MCRG filed a complaint against Beyer with the Ethics Commission, alleging that "Beyer had attempted to discourage citizens who were collecting signatures for the petitions to put [the gender identity bill] to referendum." See MCRG Press Release and accompanying video.
SOURCE Maryland Citizens for a Responsible Government
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