Local Voices: Resident Believes Paul Corderman Weaponizes Local Law Enforcement for Political Gain

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Radio Free Hub City encourages the community to participate by submitting their own thoughts regarding local issues that matter, regardless of political affiliation or views. This letter was recently submitted to us in response to the recent ethics complaint against Hagerstown Councilmember Erika Bell by Senator Paul Corderman. These views do not reflect the opinions of Radio Free Hub City or its clients or sponsors.

The real abomination here isn’t Erika Bell’s actions. It’s the fact that a state senator is inserting himself into a local police matter, spinning it into an “ethics” story for political gain. That is reckless, egregious, and an insult to the people of Hagerstown. It shows Corderman will take any chance to dismantle the leadership our city has elected, and he’s betting people are too blind to see his play — but the truth is clear.

What’s being pushed out about Councilmember Erika Bell is nothing more than weaponization of law enforcement and politics. Let’s be real: simply stating “I am a Councilmember” in a moment where police are arresting someone is not an ethics violation. Nowhere in Maryland law or Hagerstown ordinance does it say a public official can’t identify themselves in a police encounter. The only way it could even be questionable is if she misused her office for gain — and here, the person she spoke up for was still arrested. There was no influence, no favor, no benefit.

In certain communities, interactions with law enforcement can spiral out of control fast. Councilmember Bell did exactly what her community elected her to do — she spoke up, de-escalated the situation, and the person was still taken to jail. The fact that Paul Corderman would twist that into an ethics investigation shows he has no respect for the voters and no understanding — or no concern — for what really happens in these communities.

Paul Corderman doesn’t understand what it means to step in and calm down situations that impact our communities. Instead of recognizing responsibility, he twists it into exploitation when it suits his politics. That’s not leadership — that’s taking advantage of the very people he was elected to serve.

Weaponizing law enforcement to score political points is the real ethics violation, and it should be investigated. Because at the end of the day, people are tired of the same old game: turning community service into a political football while ignoring the real issues our families face — which is Paul Corderman’s specialty.

Eric Van Buren, Hagerstown Maryland – Democratic Candidate for State Senate, Legislative District 2