Muted microphones: Two council members claim chair silenced them during key vote

Two Prince George’s County Council members allege that their microphones were disabled for the entire duration of a public meeting on Oct. 20. In a complaint filed Sunday, Council members Jolene Ivey and Sydney Harrison stated that Chair Krystal Oriadha and Council Administrator David Murray kept their audio off so they could not be heard by the public or other council members. The pair asked the Office of the Attorney General to rule on whether the leaders violated the Maryland Open Meetings Act and the county charter.

The dispute centers on a meeting focused on a nonprofit organization called Joan’s House. Ivey and Harrison said they were prevented from asking questions to leaders from the presenting group because their microphones were inactive. They noted that staff responsible for the audio system have some control over the equipment but are instructed to mute members only on direction from the chair or administrator. The complaint alleges that Oriadha used a control panel on the dais to select which microphones remained active and that Murray was observed instructing staff to keep Ivey and Harrison muted.

The two council members described an environment of hostility and illegal demands in their letter to county oversight bodies. They claimed that staff were asked to silence and ignore them while the chair threatened employees. Ivey and Harrison wrote that the chair must follow the rules of procedure and state law, which no single member has the right to set aside. They requested an investigation into the Oct. 20 session and a pattern of silencing dissent that includes threats to staff members.

Oriadha did not respond to a request for comment. Council spokesperson Rahwa Andemichael said the administrator would review the complaint and the meeting record before offering further details. The microphone issue resurfaced at the council’s Monday session. Council member Tim Adams asked for a point of personal privilege to honor a woman killed in Greenbelt over the weekend. Ivey asked for permission to speak but was refused. Although her microphone was off, she could be heard in the chamber saying she wanted to acknowledge the death of former state Del. Barbara Frush.

The complaint is part of a wider review of council funding. Ivey and Harrison have called for independent audits of Joan’s House, which is closely tied to Council member Edward Burroughs. They also requested an audit of Community on the Frontline, an organization run by a friend of Oriadha who is also the godmother to her child. County Executive Aisha Braveboy asked that millions of dollars awarded to Community on the Frontline be returned. She called for an investigation into the grants.

The Office of Audits and Investigations issued subpoenas last week to protect relevant records. The subpoenas were sent to county agencies and the council’s grant office. U.S. Sen. Angela Alsobrooks called recent reports about the funding controversies deeply disturbing on Friday. The council’s next steps are not yet defined, but the attorney general’s office will now review the legal claims made by the two members.