MEDIA STILL DODGING, COUNCILMAN STILL GRANDSTANDING ON MONTGOMERY COUNTY LIQUOR SCANDAL

The Washington Post and The Gazette have yet to ask Montgomery County Councilmember Hans Riemer what he knew about alleged criminal activity in the County's Department of Liquor Control, and when he knew it. Meanwhile, Councilmember Riemer continues his free media campaign, using the scandal for political gain by posing as a crusader for justice.

This time, he is grandstanding en español, at taxpayer and cable bill-payer expense. Unfortunately, even the Spanish-language media isn't asking the councilman if he was aware of the alleged thefts and drinking-and-driving by County liquor delivery men prior to Election Day, and kept it quiet until 48 hours after voters cast their ballots.

QUESTIONS ABOUT TIMING, COUNCILMAN'S ROLE IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY LIQUOR SCANDAL

The shocking results of an investigation by News 4's I-Team into the Montgomery County Department have added to the growing public questioning of why the county is in the liquor business to begin with. But the timing of the revelations, and Councilmember Hans Riemer's quickness to grandstand in a later News 4 sit-down appearance, raise questions. What did he know, and when did he know it? And why did this all go public just 48 hours after Election Day?

Riemer has received tremendous publicity in local media for several years regarding changes he has suggested in county and state liquor regulations. None of those reports indicated that Riemer had received a campaign contribution from at least one liquor license attorney. Riemer's initial proposals did not address public concerns such as the inability to purchase beer and wine at grocery stores in the county, but were more related to expanding the number of people eligible to obtain liquor licenses in the county, and being able to serve liquor without food in county establishments. Now, in this latest interview, Riemer is talking about getting the county out of the business altogether. Which I would welcome. In any case, it's been known for some time that the councilman is eager to change liquor regulations.

Fast forward to immediately after the reports aired. Hans Riemer conveniently was the only county councilmember interviewed for the follow-up report. I'm sure Roger Berliner, Marc Elrich or Nancy Floreen or any other number of councilmembers would have something to say about stolen liquor, and county employees allegedly drinking and driving. But they did not appear. No details have been given so far, but the rapid TV appearance suggests that Riemer was known to the reporters prior to the day the reports aired.

So to get back to the question of, "What did they know, and when did they know it," the News 4 report says the I-Team was following the trucks for several weeks. I think what the taxpayers have a right to know is, when was it known that County DLC drivers were allegedly drinking on the job, and stealing and reselling liquor? Before Election Day, or after? When was Hans Riemer alerted to these findings by News 4 - before Election Day, or after?

If the scandal had become public prior to Election Day, it would have been damaging to Mr. Riemer, County Executive Ike Leggett, and any other council incumbent on the ballot, as each one of them has oversight authority over the DLC.

What was the timeline?

MONTGOMERY COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF LIQUOR CONTROL EMPLOYEES ACCUSED OF STEALING BEER, RESELLING IT

NBC 4's News 4 I-Team alleges that some delivery employees for Montgomery County's Department of Liquor Control have been stealing beer meant to be delivered to county businesses. Their report also accuses some store owners of being in on the scam, which purportedly allowed County-controlled beer to be sold for private profit later by those employees. At least one County Councilmember is calling for an investigation, but hold on a minute - where was the oversight by the Council while the alleged crimes were taking place on their watch? Much like the Silver Spring Transit Center debacle, expect the Council to point fingers at everyone else but themselves, and claim they are victims just like the taxpayers. It's time the press starts asking the Council why they haven't been executing their oversight role in county government.

In the Farm Road case, where multiple Sandy Spring African-American landowners' property rights were violated, the Montgomery County Planning Board was allowed to hire a county political operative, Douglas Bregman, to investigate the scandal. This was somewhat like allowing Richard Nixon to investigate Watergate, as the Planning Department itself is under question in the Farm Road matter.

Bregman also had strong ties to development interests in the county, a conflict of interest for the Farm Road case, in which private developers were involved. Bregman's report was favorable to those who should have been investigated (surprise!), and Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler declined to answer calls to launch a state investigation of the Farm Road case. But, as I exclusively reported here, Bregman had donated $4,000 to Doug Gansler. Oops.

Only Councilmember Marc Elrich has continued to pursue the Farm Road swindle, and the local media dropped the story entirely after Bregman's "report."

County and state politicians have been treating mature adults in Montgomery County like children for years, denying us the right to even buy Bud Light at grocery stores and drug stores. Yet, if these accusations are true, their very own employees have been breaking the law themselves and getting away with it. The "beer skimming" scandal, and the transit center and Farm Road scandals, demand a federal investigation into each.

How convenient is it that we are only hearing about this sensational "beer bust" right after the county elections?