Videoes Part of Several Allegations About Misconduct and Abusive Behavior
Democratic State Senator Pam Beidle is coming under heavy criticism after the release of new, Body Worn Camera (BWC) footage from Anne Arundel County Police showing that Beidle placed a 911 call to police about a Black man during the recent elections. That man has now been identified by concerned elected officials, community and civil rights leaders, and Russett residents as Devin Tucker. Beidle asked police to keep her initial 911 call to them secret and has refused to release the 911 audio tapes as of this writing. Beidle is seeking to chair the Maryland State Senate Finance Chair to replace outgoing leader Melony Griffith. Griffith, an African American woman, is leaving the post to head up the Maryland Hospital Association.
In witness video and BWC footage obtained by the Russett Reader from Anne Arundel County Police, Beidle tells responding officers that she was in fear of her life and told police that Tucker was "becoming violent." Beidle says, "officer this is my seventh election and I have never seen anything like this. This was awful! I'm telling you!" Russett residents and witnesses contradicts Beidle and tells police that there were no inappropriate actions by Tucker. In recounting the incident for the first time, Tucker says that it's Beidle's calculated attempt to escalate a bogus matter with police that makes her conduct repulsive.
"What's troubling about the video, and it's still emotionally hard for me to watch, is that Pam is that very intentional about the language she uses from her vantage point and privilege as a state senator. I never spoke to Beidle that day. She's doing all of this in public in her capacity as a sitting state Senator. That's a problem." Tucker added that the entire incident seemed surreal. "Pam's husband, Len Beidle, is even seen in the video menacing the White woman who recorded the witness video. It was crazy. It's still crazy!" Witnesses shared that Tucker was winding down treatment for prostate cancer at the time of the incident. Tucker confirmed that he was undergoing treatment at the time of the incident which made the whole ordeal with Beidle even more "sickening" for him.
Witnesses in the videos, both Black and White, can be heard clearly telling police that Tucker was in fact the victim. Several eyewitnesses substantiated Tucker's claim that the encounter started after Julie Hummer yelled out some inappropriate remarks about Tucker's children and after Hummer's daughter made some racially inappropriate remarks to a Black voter earlier in the day.
Tucker and local civil rights leaders have long expressed concerns about Hummer's poor civil rights record especially her vote to eliminate the largest equity program in the school system and her inaction as as arrests of Black boys surged to an all time high at Meade High School under her leadership. "Julie Hummer's entire campaign was premised on duping Black voters and hiding her rights records from Black people and Pam helped her do it," said Tucker.
Video 1. Pam Beidle Call. Body Worn Camera Footage, Anne Arundel County Police
Tucker added that Beidle should resign and is unfit to serve. "People are really going to be shocked at how abusive Pam has been with elected officials and ordinary citizens. People are going to be shocked when the 911 audio tapes are released," said Tucker.
In a series of email exchanges on Beidle's conduct, local pastor and civil rights leader Rev. Stephen Tillett said of Beidle that "it seems as though some folks, who call themselves 'public servants,' can get quite nasty when people do not cow-tow to them, or there is some competition.." Other residents and leaders are grappling with why Beidle only called police on Tucker.
Tucker wanted to make clear that he was pleased with the way responding officers stood up for his rights. "The officer basically told Beidle to shut the f**k up which I thought was more than appropriate, " said Tucker. Officers can be heard at the conclusion of the video telling election officials that the exchange about Hummer's civil rights record didn't warrant a 911 call nor was it a matter for police.
Beidle has also come under fire for reportedly recommending disgraced, ex-Russett board member Joe Franco to the Thoroughbred Racing Authority. Franco was forced from the Russett HOA Board after it was discovered that he took $10K from casino interests, as a sitting Russett HOA Board Member, to fight interests at Laurel Race Track. Franco was appointed to be the "Laurel Race Track" representative even though he no longer lives in Laurel.
One local civil rights leader who wishes to remain anonymous says that these kinds of incidents speak to Pam's character and he is "quietly" encouraging others to speak out more forcefully about Beidle's moral and ethical conduct.
Reference Links:
PETITION: Pam Beidle Resignation and Investigation