McGreevy says Young is ignoring his PIA request
As the date for confirming the 11th District Council nominee approaches, a failed candidate says he’s not getting any response to his PIA request
Above: Eric Costello, in sweatshirt, seated with City Council President Jack Young and Federal Hill bar investor Brian McComas at a February 20 Liquor Board hearing.
Arthur McGreevy is not getting any answers from City Council President Bernard C. “Jack” Young’s office, but said he’s not surprised.
McGreevy, an attorney who applied for the vacant 11th District Council seat and sent a Maryland Public Information Act (PIA) request to Young’s office shortly after the controversial nomination hearing on September 23, said he has received nothing from the Council president’s office – not even an acknowledgement.
McGreevy requested copies of “all scheduled meetings, including dates, times, and duration, between the Council President and his staff with all candidates who applied for the recent vacant 11th district council seat” as well as copies of letters of opposition and support and copies of notes taken by Adrian Harpool, who put forth the name of the winning candidate, Eric Costello.
McGreevy sent his letter electronically to Bill Driscoll, Young’s chief of staff, on September 24 and sent a hard copy by postal mail.
Young Rejects a “Do-Over”
Because the Council is scheduled to vote on the Costello nomination at this Monday’s meeting, McGreevy said there is an important time factor in finding out why the nominating committee selected Costello without voting or deliberating on any of the other 13 candidates.
“The right thing to do would have been to get information out prior” to the vote on whether to confirm Costello’s nomination. (Young will not act on a request by nine candidates, including McGreevy, for the nominating committee to “redo” the process, his office told The Brew today.)
“You see how they conduct themselves. They’re not very forthright. They got caught fixing the process and they want everybody to forget about it,” McGreevy said.
“Our Goal is to Comply”
The Brew also has not had any luck so far with its PIA request, submitted to Young’s office a week ago.
Lester Davis, Young’s spokesman, said he is meeting with the city law department later today regarding our request for information regarding the nominating process.
“Since The Brew’s request was so broad, it will take longer. Our overarching goal is to comply as quickly as possible,” he said. “We won’t make you wait 30 days.” (By law, Young’s office has up to 30 days to comply with a PIA request).
“We’re not trying to stonewall you,” Davis added. Mark J. DiMenna, a PIA officer at the Law Department, said he was busy this afternoon reviewing the requested information “to make sure it is responsive.”