Montgomery County Lawmakers Endorse Lierman For Comptroller

Del. Brooke E. Lierman (D-Baltimore City) continued to rack up significant endorsements for her comptroller bid Tuesday, with a slew of state and local lawmakers from Montgomery County throwing their support behind her campaign.

Sen. Brian J. Feldman, a tax lawyer who some thought might run for comptroller himself, described Lierman as a “high-energy” candidate and praised her work ethic in the General Assembly.

“We need somebody with some progressive values and a progressive vision for a state, and not somebody that just talks it, somebody that has a proven track record of making that happen,” Feldman said.

Del. Kumar Barve (D), the chair of the House Environment and Transportation Committee, said Lierman would be able to hit the ground running given her understanding of the state’s contracting and procurement process. He said Lierman would shape the comptroller’s office to be “an advocate for all the people in the state of Maryland” if she’s elected.

Barve described Lierman as highly analytical and curious as a lawmaker, and said she’s able to connect the dots between complex issues in her work.

Montgomery County Council member William O. Jawando (D) noted that, if she’s elected, Lierman would be the state’s first woman comptroller. He said Lierman is the ideal candidate to make sure that historically disenfranchised communities aren’t left out of the state’s pandemic recovery.

“She cares about those who have been left behind and left out, and she’s going to make sure that our tax system is fair, that it works properly, that we expand the role of the office to help us build back from what has been one of the most dramatic losses of wealth for communities of color, for women, for people in the state that are vulnerable, that we’ve ever seen,” Jawando said.

Sen. Susan C. Lee (D) said Lierman is one of the most “respected, talented and hardworking” lawmakers in the General Assembly. Lee and Lierman have partnered to get bills passed through the legislature in the past, including Alicia’s Law, which established and funded the state’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

Maryland’s comptroller holds a seat on the state’s powerful three-member Board of Public Works, and Sen. Cheryl C. Kagan (D) said Lierman would be an effective watchdog in that role.

“Whether it’s about spending billions of dollars for pricy toll lanes on 270, widening the beltway when we need more environmental data, or other issues that are pending before the Board of Public Works, I know that we’re going to be able to rely on Brooke to listen to the answer, to be thoughtful about casting her vote on that,” Kagan said.

Lierman’s ties to Montgomery County go deeper than allies in the legislature: She grew up in the county and attended the public school system. She said Tuesday that it’s “staggering and humbling” to have the support of so many local and state elected officials from the county.

Lierman listed endorsements by all but three members of the county’s General Assembly delegation: Sen. Benjamin Kramer (D) and Delegates Charlotte Crutchfield (D) and Gabriel Acevero (D).

Lierman pledged Tuesday to tackle the state’s racial wealth divide and work to mitigate climate change if she’s elected as comptroller. She’s made those issues key points in her statewide campaign.

“I understand that our state comptroller is uniquely situated to focus on the economic challenges, the income-based issues in our state, and I am so excited to bring a bold new vision to that office,” she said.

Other county council members who endorsed Lierman on Tuesday were Gabe Albornoz, Andrew Friedson, Evan Glass, Sidney Katz and Craig Rice, all Democrats.

School Board members Shebra Evans, Patricia O’Neill, Karla Silvestre and Brenda Wolff also offered endorsements.

[email protected]

Republish