Two Council Members Claim Chair Muted Microphones to Block Speech

Two Prince George’s County Council members claim Chair Krystal Oriadha disabled their microphones for the duration of an October 20 meeting, effectively silencing them from the public and other officials. In a complaint filed on Sunday with the Office of the Attorney General, council members Jolene Ivey and Sydney Harrison state that Oriadha and council Administrator David Murray knowingly broke the state Open Meetings Act and the county charter.

The dispute centers on a public session dedicated to a nonprofit organization closely tied to council member Edward Burroughs. Ivey and Harrison wrote that Oriadha refused to recognize them during the discussion. They described their microphones as "muted and kept muted so that they could not be heard by the other members or the public." The pair requested a legal ruling on whether these actions violated the law and asked for an investigation into the specific meeting and an alleged pattern of suppressing dissent.

The complaint details the mechanical process of the silencing. Staff who manage audio systems normally require direction from the chair or administrator to mute a member. However, the council members allege that Murray was observed instructing staff to keep Ivey’s and Harrison’s microphones off. They further claimed that Oriadha uses a control panel on the dais to select active microphones and censor specific voices. "The Chair must be held accountable for following the charter, the rules of procedure, and the Maryland Open Meetings Act, which no council member has the right to set aside or abuse," Ivey and Harrison wrote.

Both council members told reporters immediately after the meeting that they could not question leaders from Joan’s House because their audio was disabled. They have also pushed for independent audits of Joan’s House and another group, Community on the Frontline. Community on the Frontline is led by a friend of Oriadha who serves as the godmother to her child. County Executive Aisha Braveboy has called for the return of millions of dollars awarded to that organization and demanded a full probe.

The friction continued at the next council meeting on Monday. Oriadha granted council member Tim Adams a personal privilege to honor a local death. Ivey then asked for permission to speak but was denied. Even with her microphone off, Ivey was audible in the chambers as she attempted to acknowledge the recent death of former state Del. Barbara Frush.

Council spokesperson Rahwa Andemichael said in a statement on behalf of the administrator that officials will review the complaint and the meeting record before providing further comment. Oriadha did not respond to a request for comment. The Office of Audits and Investigations issued subpoenas last week to county agencies and the council’s grant office to preserve records for the ongoing probe.

U.S. Sen. Angela Alsobrooks described recent reports on council funding controversies as "deeply disturbing" on Friday. The legal complaint marks a formal escalation in a dispute that has drawn attention to internal council procedures and the distribution of public funds.