Dismissed MD volunteer awarded $259,000. Settlement with Bethesda FD after DC Lewis German questioned Montgomery Co.’s readiness following 9-11.
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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaHScW7exqA&hl=en&fs=1]
Read plaintiff’s summary judgment memorandum
See email sent to Lewis German on punishment agreement
(The court documents above were all provided by attorney Mark Zaid)
Lewis German wasn’t paid as a volunteer deputy chief with the Bethesda Fire Department. But now, German, and his attorney Mark Zaid, are collecting $259,000 from that department in Montgomery County, Maryland. The money is part of a settlement reached in a lawsuit filed by German after he was dismissed as a volunteer in February, 2002.
Zaid announced the settlement in a press release. The case was scheduled to go to trial in June. German contended the dismissal violated his First Amendment rights.
The suit centered on German’s speaking out about emergency preparedness in the wake of the attacks of September 11, 2001. In early October, 2001 German talked with newspaper reporters and WUSA-TV (full disclosure, I was the reporter who did the story) claiming that $500,000 worth of hazardous material gear was sitting in the Chevy Chase fire station and had not been distributed to volunteers in the county.
Then County Executive Doug Duncan disputed the claims made by German and Kensington VFD Chief Jim Stanton.
Copy of email Lewis German said was sent to him by Bethesda Fire Department officials after German spoke to the press.
Bethesda Fire Department officials, unhappy with German speaking to the media, demanded that German apologize to Duncan, take a 6-month suspension and never again contact the news media. When German refused, he was dismissed as a volunteer with Bethesda.
Duncan and other Montgomery County officials were previously dropped from the lawsuit with Bethesda FD remaining as the defendant. Sources indicate the insurer used by Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Service to cover the volunteer organizations will now be responsible for paying the settlement.
STATter911.com has attempted to contact officials with the Bethesda FD.
