The Montgomery County Council introduced a bill Tuesday reaffirming their support of public health officials and against racist and homophobic messaging.
The bill is set to be approved on March 22.
The councilmembers pointed to harassment of former County Health Officer Dr. Travis Gayles, blaming it in part on how politicized the pandemic has become.
According to Dr. Raymond Crowel, director of the Department of Health and Human Services, two applicants for Gayles’ position withdrew their names due to the political discourse accompanying many public health decisions.
Currently, “several candidates are under consideration,” he said, noting that they must obtain the approval of both Montgomery County and Maryland officials. “We have not made an offer yet,” Crowel said.
The three-page bill notes that on March 1, Gayles and former Hartford County Health Officer David Bishai testified before the Maryland Joint Committee on Fair Practices and State Personnel Oversight, stating that “pandemic policy-making in Maryland has become dangerously politicized and that the state Department of Health routinely failed to support health officers who come under attack, even though they are state employees.”
The bill notes that Montgomery County “stands in support of public health officials” and asks everyone to be civil.” Montgomery County calls for unity, civil discourse and a depoliticization of the pandemic,” it states in the bill.
