Aberdeen Mayoral Election Heats Up With Exchange
Incumbent Michael Bennett and lone challenger Patrick McGrady exchanged words during the public comment period at Monday's City Council meeting.
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The following exchange took place as the only public comment during Monday's City Council meeting.
Mayor Michael Bennett and resident Patrick McGrady, the lone challenger for Bennett's seat in the upcoming municipal election, exchanged tense words.
Patch transcribed the following notes from Monday's exchange:
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McGrady: Good evening, my name is Patrick McGrady and I reside at [address redacted]. My name is Patrick McGrady and I am running for Mayor of the City of Aberdeen.
Bennett: Excuse me, there is no campaigning in City Council chambers. If you have any questions …
McGrady: Is that documented anywhere?
Bennett: There is no campaigning in City Council chambers. It hasn’t gone on in years. Unless you have some question or something, we’re not going to have a campaign time here in the council chambers.
McGrady: Sir, is there any rule that indicates that, or …
Bennett: We’ve never done that.
McGrady: OK. But there’s no rule against it? Then …
Bennett: We’ve never done that. I’m going to call you out of order, so you can do whatever you want. If you have a question, address that to us, but there is no campaigning here during the council meetings. Period. Are we clear?
McGrady: I’d like to tell you a little about me, why I’m running. Why it’s so important…
Bennett: Excuse me. You are out of order.
McGrady: Sir, I have a right to free speech. This a time of public comment.
Bennett: This is a time of public comment.
McGrady: That’s what I’m commenting upon.
Bennett: You either return to your seat, as you are out of order, please, or you can ask a question. [Long pause] We can sit here and stare at each other all night long, but it’s not going to change. OK?
McGrady: I believe this is a violation of the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. [McGrady departs]
Bennett: Please take your seat, sir. Anyone else, please? No one else approaches the mic, we will close this time of public comment and begin our legislative session.
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The Aberdeen Municipal Election is scheduled from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on November 8 at the Aberdeen Center on Franklin Street.
The deadline to register to vote is October 18.
vietnam vet
8:00 am on Tuesday, October 11, 2011
It ought to be interesting, to see where this conversation end's up.
Heather Lewis Long
12:08 pm on Tuesday, October 11, 2011
As a resident of Aberdeen, McGrady has already lost my vote. The city council meeting is MOST definitely NOT the place to campaign. It does not matter whether there are "RULES" against it or not. If he fails to realize that there are appropriate times and places for these things I don't want to hear anything else he has to say. A council meeting is NOT the time! A council meeting is meant for city business and NOT political grandstanding!
David Boyer
6:26 pm on Friday, October 14, 2011
We need a change! We need McGrady! If the council doesn't have a rule on the books then this is censorship!
Proud Augustan
5:49 am on Saturday, October 15, 2011
SO Heather you consider it worse that Mr McGrady simply disclosed that he is a candidate for mayor when addressing the council (something I am sure most are aware of anyway), but you have no problem with the fact that the current mayor Mike Bennett was paid by Ripken Baseball to fly down to Augusta, GA to lobby on their behalf to get the city there to build them a new baseball stadium.. like the one that continues to drain the city budget of Aberdeen? It makes you wonder just who mayor Bennett is really working for? It doesn't seem to be the citizens of Aberdeen. Here's some food for thought: http://citystink.blogspot.com/2011/10/truth-is-funny-thing-in-aberdeen-md.html
Sue Pue
9:31 pm on Wednesday, October 19, 2011
I find it odd that people from Georgia seem to be trying to put there noses into what goes on in Aberdeen. McGrady is a parasite that has no clue what he's talkin about but is finding anything to hold against Bennett just to try and get the win. I have lived in Aberdeen for 25+ years and have never before been prouder of my city since Bennett has been in office.
Jean
11:33 pm on Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Gee Sue that is exactly what the people from Georgia were saying about Mayor Bennet going down there and sticking his nose in what goes on in Augusta.
Tony
11:51 am on Saturday, October 22, 2011
I watched the exchange on the cable repeat of the meeting and if anyone was out of order is was "The Chair" himself. First Bennett said that campaigning hadn't gone on in years at a council meeting, then he said that "we've never done that". Was that a little flip-flop, a little misstep, a little too much pressure, seemed that The Chair couldn't state a rule because there wasn't one and how dare this young man, self serving as it was, stand there and tell The Chair something that The Chair doesn't want to hear. Bennett showed his true colors. By campaigning, McGrady only wished to state his displeasure with the current administration and offer a suggestion or two on betterment, one of which would be his rise to mayor. It was no different then someone complaining about DPW or cars parked in the alley and offering their 2 cents on how to solve, it's just that the police chief and DPW chief don't call the citizen out of order. Aberdeen: The Home of Opportunity With Limited Speech.