Pauline Manhandled From Montco Commissioners

Pauline Manhandled From Montco Commissioners — Pauline Braccio, whose health issues include bulging spinal disks, arrhythmia, asthma and lymphedema, was manhandled and removed by a county deputy sheriff from today’s (Oct. 3) Montgomery County Commissioners meeting after she questioned the minutes from the Aug. 8 meeting.

She was placed in handcuffs and thrown into a cell before her statement was taken by two county detectives after which she was released. Ms. Braccio said the situation brought on an asthma attack and she had to use a rescue inhaler. She says that due to her diabetes, the bruises on her arms and hands will take weeks to heal. She also has burst blood vessels on her forearm.

Ms. Braccio said that she will be notified in about a week if charges will be filed.

Ms. Braccio has spoken out at commissioner meetings for nearly a year saying Commissioner Ken Lawrence raped her after his friend drugged her at a community college event in 1990.

Lawrence response to the accusations has been unsatisfactory, Ms. Braccio says.

At today’s meeting, Ms. Braccio said she rose to address the August minutes which stated Lawrence responded directly to her claims. Ms. Braccio said, however, he never spoke directly to her but rather said during commissioner comments “Let the minutes reflect that I responded to Ms. Braccio’s comments that her allegations are false.”

The minutes say that “Vice Chair Lawrence commented that he responded to Ms. Pauline Braccio’s allegations as false.”

Ms. Braccio says he never directly addressed her. She says he wants him to look her in the eye and deny it. She says that when he made his statement he was looking at Chairwoman Valerie Arkoosh.

After she made her comment about the minutes, Ms. Braccio explained that her comments were germane to the county government because sexual allegations have been widely discussed and investigated concerning State Sen. Daylin Leach (D-17), Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, and Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

At that point, County Solicitor Josh Stein told her she had crossed the line and to desist, at which she said she did.

Chairwoman Arkoosh immediately called a recess and the commissioners walked out leaving Ms. Braccio at the podium.

She said Stein approached her and told her she couldn’t keep bringing up the rape. She agreed not to and he said she could continue with other comments which she said related to public integrity, the family justice advisory board and the judiciary. Stein was then called away.

She said he returned with security and said she had to leave. She asked why he changed his mind, and a hulking deputy sheriff grabbed her twisting her back and manhandled her from the room. He roughly placed her in handcuffs bruising her arms and marched her to the sheriff’s department. They tried restraining her legs but couldn’t get the shackles around them due to her lymphedema.

Obviously she was a danger and a threat.

That was sarcasm.

Maybe they could have asked to leave as they had in the past. She had complied every time.

She was placed in a cell with two women, one of whom she says had been incarcerated since Aug. 7 for unpaid parking tickets. The detectives were called. They interviewed her and she was freed. Her ordeal lasted three hours.

Pauline Manhandled From Montco Commissioners