LA PLATA, Md. – Early this week, Charles County Commissioner Gilbert “BJ” Bowling revealed that the County Board of Commissioners had become wrapped up in a discrimination and harassment probe involving some of its members.
The most notable commissioner involved in the probe is Thomasina “Sina” Coates, who at this time has refused to comment about the investigation to the media.
This is not the first time that Coates has been the subject of an investigation such as this. In 2020 she was censured by the board for racial discrimination against County Administrator Mark Belton, a white man.
Coates had made racist remarks toward Administrator Belton over email, stating that she did not want a white man serving as county attorney back in 2019.
The report of the past investigation came out after a lawsuit brought forth by Commissioner Bowling and Commissioner Amanda M. Stewart in December 2022. The goal of the lawsuit is to keep the term and stipulations set by the 2020 censure of Coates in place. The lawsuit does not currently have a trial date, but has cost over $1 million worth of taxpayer money.
As of now 17 county employees have been interviewed in this current investigation, and Bowling has expressed that he would like to see this report go public.
Coates defended herself on Tuesday during a commissioner comments session.
“At no point have I discriminated. I want to make that clear…I have been silent because there is a process that we all are going through.”
Another subject of the investigation is Commissioner Ralph E. Patterson II, as of now there is little information known on allegations against him.
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See how dense you Maryland voters are? Remember why you voted for Obama? Remember “diversity, inclusion & equity”? Sure looks diverse to me…
It sounds like Bowling is the one with the Problem with Color he needs to be investigated.
No form of discrimination is acceptable. The only reason Coates stated in an email directly to him that she didn’t want him working in his position because of his race so she clearly discriminated against him. And her actions wasted over 130 million dollars of maryland taxpayers money, while children in Charles county starve and homelessness proceeds to get worse and worse this joke of a woman wants to burn our tax dollars. She should be barred from serving in any form of political office in our state let her go ruin some other poor state.