Eastern Shore Undercover Editorial: Discrediting Threats Against Public Officials is Irresponsible and Unacceptable

In the current political climate, threats against public officials have become a serious concern. It is imperative that all such threats are taken with the utmost seriousness by law enforcement and government bodies alike.

Any attempt by an elected official to discredit or minimize these threats is not only irresponsible but also creates a dangerous environment that can embolden those who wish to cause harm on our leaders.

A recent incident in Wicomico County highlights the severity of this very issue.

Threats Against the County Executive

A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request regarding a separate matter revealed that Wicomico County Executive Julie Giordano has recently been the target of personal threats.

The threats were serious enough to warrant an investigation by the Wicomico County Sheriff's Office. Following the investigation, a detective recommended specific security measures, which were subsequently approved by Wicomico County Sheriff Mike Lewis.

We do not know the exact recommendations made or measurements taken however these actions indicate that law enforcement deemed the threats credible and necessitated a protective response for the County Executive.

An Inappropriate Response from a Council Member

In an email chain found in the FOIA Request discussing the security measures for County Executive Giordano, Wicomico County Council Vice President Jeff Merritt responded not with concern, not with any suggestions and not with any compassion about the incident..... he responded by deflecting from the threats made and instead of joining together in unity, he created more division among our local government.

He stated in the email, "I remind everyone that months ago when tensions were escalated on another issue some of the Council members received hate mail at their homes and the response was to 'take it with a grain of salt.' While I found that response inappropriate its interesting when the shoe is on the other foot as they say."

This response is deeply concerning for several reasons.

Firstly, it attempts to downplay the severity of a current, active threat by drawing a comparison to a past issue involving "hate mail."

Secondly, it introduces a tone of political rivalry and score-settling into a matter of personal safety. Instead of prioritizing the security of a fellow public servant, the comment suggests a degree of vindication, which is wholly inappropriate when discussing credible threats of harm.

Ask yourself this, are we more worried about the safety of our fellow leaders or are we more worried about reminding each other of the hate the resides within the heart.

A Pattern of Dismissal

This is not an isolated incident. As many will recall, last summer, my family faced serious threats, and Mr. Merritt's response was similarly dismissive, attributing the threats to "divisive rhetoric" from Eastern Shore Undercover's social media platform rather than showing concern for anyone's safety.

This pattern of minimizing and deflecting from threats against individuals with whom he may have political disagreements is unacceptable for a public official.

The timing of Mr. Merritt's email is also notable, responding less than 24 hours after a conservative public figure, Charlie Kirk, was murdered in cold blood in the public eye.

In a period of such heightened tension, dismissing any threat against a public official is particularly reckless, and truly shows one's character.

Conclusion: A Call for Responsibility

The safety of our elected officials should not be a partisan issue. It is a matter of basic human decency and a prerequisite for a functioning government.

When a County Council member uses their position to discredit credible threats against another official or leader in our community, they fail in their duty to serve the public and foster a safe community.

Such behavior is not only repulsive but also sets a dangerous precedent. It is imperative that we hold our elected officials to a higher standard, demanding that they treat all threats with the gravity they deserve, regardless of political affiliation or personal animosity.

Now, before anyone says anything, this isn't a matter of partisanship or Republican vs. Democrat, because both Jeff Merritt and Julie Giordano are both Republicans.

This is 100% about good vs. evil, its about the councils hatred for the county executive..... Nothing more, nothing less!

In a world full of hate and where threats need to be taken serious, it is totally shameful to know one of our county council members would even consider stooping to this level and discrediting the threats made to our county executive, but I guess it's true what they say, "Your actions will eventually define your character, and your words will define your wisdom but how you treat others defines who you really are".

I don't know who said that but I commend them for their words. Instead of hatred and division, we need unity and love, and that starts with our local leaders!