{"id":13350,"date":"2020-07-15T14:40:15","date_gmt":"2020-07-15T18:40:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.theseventhstate.com\/?p=13350"},"modified":"2020-07-15T14:40:20","modified_gmt":"2020-07-15T18:40:20","slug":"elrich-on-hot-mic-can-i-say-the-council-is-fact-proof","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theseventhstate.com\/?p=13350","title":{"rendered":"Elrich on Hot Mic: \u201cCan I Say the Council is Fact Proof?\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Adam Pagnucco.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s no secret that the relationship between the executive branch and the county council is not one of roses and chocolates. After rejecting County Executive Marc Elrich\u2019s tax hike and rewriting his recommended budget, the council decided that his strategy for COVID-19 testing was inadequate and decided to create one of its own<\/a>. But such things are positively amorous compared to the council\u2019s likely reaction to Elrich\u2019s joke \u2013 recorded on a hot mic \u2013 that the council is \u201cfact proof.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The joke was made during a Facebook video of Elrich and some of his top staffers preparing for a media briefing earlier today. The preparatory discussion should not have been shown, but it was \u2013 and eyeballs were on it. Elrich, county health officer Travis Gayles and county emergency management director Earl Stoddard were talking about how to discuss COVID-19 infection rates among Latinos in the wake of a Washington Post article<\/a> on disproportionate cases in that community. So far, so good \u2013 public health data has multiple layers and is not always easily conveyed in casual discussion, especially in the press.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But then Elrich\u2019s delightfully snarky sense of humor kicked in as Facebook viewers watched. At 3:15, Elrich cracked, \u201cCan I say the council is fact proof?\u201d Gayles laughed and replied, \u201cYou’re welcome to say whatever you want to say!\u201d Stoddard followed with, \u201cI\u2019m not sure how helpful it is, but you could say it!\u201d As of this writing, the video has been removed \u2013 but not before it was recorded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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