Posted October 9, 2025. Updated 10/27/2025 with the email of the press release from the Montgomery County Renters Alliance per a request.
On Wednesday, October 8 the Montgomery County Renters Alliance held a county executive forum at the Montgomery Community Media studio which Moderately MOCO also attended. You can view the full forum here.
However, after the forum, one candidate that did not attend, is filing a lawsuit against these organizations as reported by Montgomery Perspective.
Soon after, Montgomery Community Media released a statement also posted by Montgomery Perspective and now the Montgomery County Renters Alliance has put out a press release on the entire event that includes a statement on the lawsuit as well.
Below is the full text of the press release:
Democratic Primary Candidates for County Executive Forum Provide Substantial and Lively Discussion on Renters’ Rights and Housing Policies
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Rockville, MD—Yesterday evening, the Renters Alliance co-sponsored a highly informative forum – alongside Montgomery Community Media (MCM) – featuring some of the Democratic primary candidates County Executive Candidates Andrew Friedson and Will Jawando participated. Evan Glass was unable to attend due to illness.
A large studio audience attended the two-hour lively, civil discussion that focused on renters’ rights and affordable housing. Online viewers also participated via YouTube and online county public television. Divided into two sessions, the forum provided the candidates a chance to express their views on a variety of issues related to housing policies. The first hour included questions from a panel of reporters from Bethesda Today, The Montgomery Banner, Maryland Matters and MCM, and the second half included questions from the public. Renters Alliance Board Chair William Roberts, Esq. moderated the forum.
Mr. Friedson and Mr. Jawando engaged in a spirited exchange of their views on a number of key issues from rent stabilization, good-cause eviction protection, housing production and zoning, the relationship between county government and the private and non-profit sectors, and the impact of housing quality and instability on student academic achievement. The forum was broadcast live from Montgomery Community Media studio in Rockville and simulcast on YouTube. A link to the YouTube recording can be found here:
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The Renters Alliance invited all five declared Democratic primary candidates to participate and set eligibility as follows: candidates who have met the requirements for public matching funds, or raised more than $250,000 in campaign contributions.
Despite failing to meet these requirements, and after a good faith effort on our part to explain the eligibility rules for the debate and those for the public campaign finance system, a fourth candidate, Mithun Banerjee, has filed a legal action against the Renters Alliance and MCM based on his inability to participate. The Renters Alliance views the suit as frivolous and will have no further comment on the matter.
The Renters Alliance and MCM are 501-c-3 nonprofit organizations. Neither organization supports or endorses any political party or candidate. The forum was provided as service to educate and inform the public on the candidates’ views on housing policy.
You can view the full email from the press release here.