Monday, November 05, 2018

Riemer charged taxpayers for private meetings with donors, violated ex parte communications rules

Developers had projects
before Council in Westbard,
Bethesda Downtown, 
Rock Spring sector plans

Exclusive investigative report

Montgomery County Council President Hans Riemer has met privately with developers who donated to his Council campaigns, and charged taxpayers for his travel costs to those private meetings, according to Montgomery County Council reimbursement records. Riemer also did not disclose these private, ex parte communications at the next Council meeting, as he is required to do. Like all Council members, Riemer sits as a land-use commissioner when the Council votes on land-use and zoning issues as the "District Council."
Riemer meets Westbard developer privately
at La Madeleine, who then donates money
to Riemer's campaign, and Riemer then
charges taxpayers for his gas money to and from
the meeting, Council records show
Riemer met with Evan Goldman of EYA privately at La Madeleine restaurant in downtown Bethesda on October 21, 2016. On January 8, 2018, Goldman made a $150 contribution to Riemer's Council campaign. Riemer was an outspoken supporter of EYA's Westbard project, and of the Westbard sector plan that was overwhelmingly opposed by residents, which financially benefited EYA and partner Regency Centers.

Riemer met with Larry Walker of The Walker Group privately at Clyde's Tower Oaks restaurant on October 31, 2016. Walker has contributed $2400 to Riemer's campaigns, including $100 in May 2017.
Riemer demands reimbursement from
taxpayers for his private meeting with
downtown Bethesda developer who had
given him almost $1000
Riemer met with Charles Nulsen of Washington Property Company privately at WPC's headquarters in Bethesda on March 8, 2017. Nulsen has donated at least $970.70 to Riemer's campaigns.

Riemer requested reimbursement from taxpayers for all three private meetings with his donors, according to Council records.

It's no secret Hans Riemer is cozy with developers, as his voting record and campaign finance reports clearly show. But even an ethically-corrupt politician like Riemer cannot be allowed to charge taxpayers for private meetings with his campaign donors, nor to violate ex parte communications rules. Private meetings with donors can only be paid for with political campaign funds, not taxpayer funds.

Local media, including The Washington Post, have refused to report on this late-breaking scandal I uncovered. In fact, the Post's Montgomery County political reporter Jennifer Barrios hasn't written a single sentence about the County Council At-Large general election race. Intriguingly, while the Post has declined to investigate any of the scandals I've forwarded to Barrios and reporter Robert McCartney throughout the election, it dispatched a reporter at the 11th hour to write a hit piece on a Republican in Anne Arundel County regarding a...developer scandal (which is a nothingburger compared to the scandals of Riemer, others on the Council, and the Planning Board).

The question is, why does the Post not want you to know about the questionable activities of Hans Riemer and other Montgomery County officials? This is a question that must be answered, regardless of the outcome of Tuesday's election. Secondly, the State Board of Elections and Montgomery County Office of the Inspector General should investigate Riemer's activities, which appear to be violations of both ethics rules and campaign finance laws.

Third, it's time for voters to oust Riemer on Tuesday, and his cartel-funded running mates Gabe Albornoz, Evan Glass and Will Jawando, who each have received thousands of dollars from developers.

36 comments:

Anonymous said...

And he'll likely win along with Gillum in FL. Dems voters could care less if their candidates clubbed baby seals in public they'd still vote the ticket.

Anonymous said...

If Robert Dyer is elected, he will force Hans Riemer to return $13.18 in improper reimbursements, to the County.

Anna said...

Altering the photo of your opponent is a juvenile thing to do. Petty, rinky-dink.
How could anyone trust the story isn't also altered to fit your narrative?

You're probably a mustache vandal too.

Mustache Vandalism is when a person, if they see a picture of someone they don't like, and it's within reach, draws a mustache, beard, or both on the picture.

Anonymous said...

@ 5:30

It's the ex parte that is the real issue. Democrats are so greedy, he actually left a paper trail for $13.18 , lmao

Anonymous said...

Looks like Flower Child had plenty of customers last night. How is your report a "sneak preview"?

Anonymous said...

"Wait at your seat with your number, and servers will bring you your meal when it is ready"

Why does this merit a photo? This is literally what every fast-casual restaurant in the area does. And now McDonald's, too.

Anna said...

All y'all can always put my name down as a write-in candidate for County Council!

Anonymous said...

Saith Blogger Robert Dyer: "The Washington Post dispatched a reporter at the 11th hour to write a hit piece on a Republican in Anne Arundel County regarding a...developer scandal (which is a nothingburger compared to the scandals of Riemer, others on the Council, and the Planning Board)."

From the Post:

"Anne Arundel County’s recent $2.6 million purchase of land near the Chesapeake Bay has come under scrutiny in the race for county executive, with the Democratic challenger accusing County Executive Steve Schuh (R) of paying an inflated price to bail out a political supporter."

I would say that $2.6 million is a much bigger "burger" than $13.18.

Anonymous said...

It looks like Amazon is getting closer to selecting moribund Crystal City as their second headquarters. While it's disappointing that they didn't select White Flint or some other site in Montgomery County, it is nevertheless a yuuuge victory for MoCo Cartel developer JBG Smith, who are already building their trophy headquarters in Bethesda.

Anonymous said...

@6:42 No he probably got paid by the restaurant to give a review, so he closed comments so the article won't be full of the usual gang of commenters.

Anonymous said...

5:57am true, if only you'd post with your real name.

Anonymous said...

"If only you'd post with your real name"...says Anonymous.

Anonymous said...

The irony of Crystal City getting Amazon HQ2 is that Crystal City is the example everyone uses in MoCo of what they don't want to be.

I just think White Flint is just too far from the center of gravity (DC) to win, unless Amazon really wants a self contained campus luke Apple.

There's no easy way to get from White Flint to anywhere (DC, the airports, etc.) Should have pitched downtown Bethesda instead.

Anonymous said...

6:50am you make that false claims here yet other sites are getting full paid meals for writers. Whole groups of unpaid interns scarfing down free pizza.

Anonymous said...

"The irony of Crystal City getting Amazon HQ2 is that Crystal City is the example everyone uses in MoCo of what they don't want to be."

"Should have pitched downtown Bethesda instead."

The reason both Crystal City and the former White Flint Mall were considered, was because they are both large, mostly vacant properties. There is no similar site in downtown Bethesda. And Crystal City is largely vacant now, because it is what most people "don't want to be" anymore.

Anonymous said...

@ 7:06 AM "waaa waaa waaa interns waaa waaa waaa"

Anonymous said...

7:09 AM There's no space in downtown Bethesda for a new office tower that would accommodate Amazon?

From the list of HQ2 finalists- Crystal City, NYC and Dallas are all urban choices. White Flint isn't on the same level at all.

Maybe this is all a head fake and MoCo will get HQ2, but I'm just relying on news reports in the Post and WSJ.

Anna said...

6:58 aka "Anonymous" - Sweetie, I was born Anna Van Horn...it can't get any realer than that.

Anonymous said...

@ 7:13 AM ="waaa waaa waaa" at Dyer's sneak preview

Anonymous said...

Dyer won't allow comments on the restaurant article copied and pasted to the Rockville blog, either.

Anonymous said...

7:22 AM Good. That means you can't try to post crazy comments on a restaurant preview piece.

Anonymous said...

@ 7:18 PM - The site in New York City is not in Manhattan. It is in Long Island City, Queens - most likely a large defunct industrial site waiting to be redeveloped.

And the site in Dallas is similar.

Again, no comparison to Bethesda. Where is there a site that can accommodate 10 million square feet of office space, that can be easily assembled, cleared and redeveloped?

Anonymous said...

If I was Amazon, I'd be concerned that my employees would be trapped in the White Flint campus. Traffic is already gridlocked in the area. Metro is a mess and wouldn't help folks living north of Shady Grove station. Metro into DC is a slow, unreliable ride. Recipe for disaster!

Roald said...

I love what Dyer is doing for MoCo with these reports!

Anonymous said...

The non-public meetings the council and the planning commission have with developers about pending matters raises doubts about the integrity of the process. People with good judgment would recognize that and avoid taking these meetings.

These things need to happen in the open and on the record, or at least on the record. Parts of that record may be sealed to the public, but all of the information would be available in official form to all decision makers.

Anonymous said...

Just vote for Robert Dyer only in the At-Large race. This not only gives Robert your vote, but also reduces Robert's opponents' vote totals by one each.

That’s not how elections work. Casting a vote for one candidate does not “reduce” the vote tallies of others.

Why is Robert Dyer spreading misinformation on his other campaign website? Or does he simply not understand how any of this (elections, math, etc.) works?

Anonymous said...

Riemer needs a smart set of frames for Christmas!

Anonymous said...

11:15 AM Residents appreciate Dyer's news, reviews and previews of MoCo's newest restaurants!

Anonymous said...

My God, I love what Dyer is doing for MoCo with these reports. There's never been this kind of daily tick tock of everything happening!

Roald said...

12:00pm agreed! I erupt when the email newsletter goes out daily! Daily dispatches right to our mailbox.

Roald said...

12:22 PM I love this online community!

Anonymous said...

12:29 PM That wouldn't exactly be a reason to celebrate.
Four more years of traffic gridlock, terrible business climate, increase in homicides, overcrowding schools, more Westbard fiascos etc.

And no Amazon.

Roald said...

12:55 - Having Dyer on the council would not have a positive effect on any of those things.

Boyce Bowles said...

12:59 PM Dyer is constant as the Northern Star- he'll be here.

Anonymous said...

Tomorrow night the voters will render their verdict on Robert Dyer.

Anonymous said...

Riemer will stop at nothing to hold on to power and privilege.