March 31, 2010

Ervin, Trachtenberg spar over ‘berating' IG

Montgomery County Council Vice President Valerie Ervin accused Councilwoman Duchy Trachtenberg of purposefully "berating" the county's inspector general in a public setting. Ervin's comments came after a council committee meeting Thursday in which Trachtenberg questioned findings in Inspector General Thomas Daley's report on the county's Tuition Assistance Program. At issue was whether the county's ethics law had been violated. Some council members, including Trachtenberg (D-At large) of North Bethesda, said Dagley's report implied it had been.

"Today I certainly made no personal effort to indict the inspector general, but I am well within my rights to ask some very hard questions," Trachtenberg said.

Dagley said after Thursday's committee meeting that he did not intend to imply a violation in his report. Ervin (D-Dist. 5) of Silver Spring questioned why Dagley, who was investigating wrongdoing, was the focus. Ervin said it likely was connected to Dagley's recent accusations that County Executive Isiah Leggett's office has obstructed his investigations.

SOURCE: Gazette

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