Delay, Deny, Defend Part 2 – What’s Going on With the JFK 50 Mile Relocation? We’ll Have to Wait 30 Days to Find Out

This is Part 2 of our continuing series of articles highlighting Washington County Government’s efforts to delay and deny information from the public. Part 3 is now available, highlighting questions regarding the County Treasurer’s salary.

We recently received an inquiry from a reader asking for an update on the the potential relocation of the historic JFK 50 Mile race, a beloved event with deep ties to Washington County. While we have heard reports that the race organizers are considering a relocation to Frederick County due to a lack of financial support from the Washington County government, we are currently unable to provide a definitive answer regarding the details of this potential move. Definitive details surrounding this potential shift remain elusive to us, as our traditional media inquiries are no longer an available avenue for our obtaining information from county officials, and official responses to requests have been locked away behind the paywall of other outlets.

Update 3/19/2026 – After the county appeared to express concern regarding the number of PIAs we have recently opened, we have closed this PIA to allow the county to focus on other more urgent matters. We may re-open this PIA in the future after the elections are over.

Washington County has implemented a new administrative requirement, effective January 28, 2026, mandating that all information requests be submitted through the county’s formal Maryland Public Information Act (MPIA) portal. County Administrator Michelle Gordon’s directive clarifies that this process is not designed for a simple question-and-answer exchange, meaning any information must be obtained through the formal release of public records. This procedural change has led to growing concerns about a potential erosion of transparency within Washington County, utilizing a “Delay, Deny, Defend” strategy as outlined in previous coverage, and hampering the timely reporting of news.

This approach to public information dissemination has drawn particular attention in light of recent events, including the $102.4 million sale of a warehouse intended for an ICE detention facility. In that transaction, the county has faced accusations of “constructive denial.” This stems from a failure to produce requested records or issue formal denials within the legally stipulated 30-day timeframe for multiple requests, specifically those designated as 26-66, 26-67, and 26-113 in the County’s MPIA portal. There is speculation that these delays may be strategically employed to postpone the disclosure of sensitive information until after upcoming elections.

Radio Free Hub City has submitted a formal request through the MPIA portal to ascertain the specific details regarding the JFK 50 Mile’s future. Under county regulations, a response to such a request is permitted up to 30 days. Given past experiences, it is possible that a formal mediation process with the PIA Ombudsman might become necessary to obtain the requested information. While the specifics of Washington County Commissioner President John Barr’s “kick-starter” funding philosophy were reportedly obtained by the Herald-Mail, this information is currently behind a paywall. Radio Free Hub City will provide a comprehensive update on the JFK 50 Mile situation once the results of its records request are received, or if the county re-adopts a more accessible “question and answer” format for public inquiries.

To be clear, this policy is now placing us at a significant disadvantage over competing news media outlets. While Washington County picks “winners and losers” for who gets timely access to public information, we here at Radio Free Hub City have been chosen as one of the “losers” significantly harming our ability to compete with Herald Mail and other local news media outlets which are granted timely access.

Another example of the County’s attempts to delay or deny our news coverage is the incident on February 3, 2026 outside the County Administration Building, in which a protester was arrested. After the incident, we reached out to the County Public Relations department to inquire if any other protesters had been arrested. We were directed to the County PIA portal, which has in our experience taken 30 days for response.

Knowing that the county would likely take the full 30 days to respond to our request through the portal, we submitted a request for comment to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. Washington County’s attempt to gatekeep information behind a 30-day wall was then dismantled by their own Sheriff’s Department. By fulfilling the same request in a fraction of the time, the Sheriff’s Office has inadvertently highlighted a culture of unnecessary obstruction within Washington County Government. The Sheriff’s Office responded in 11 minutes to confirm that no one else was charged. This isn’t a matter of logistical difficulty; it’s a matter of administrative will.

This incident has demonstrated that ‘government speed’ can be efficient when prioritized; the County’s refusal to match that turnaround suggests they are prioritizing running the clock and delaying information over the community’s right to know. While Radio Free Hub City embraces transparency with our DocumentCloud collections and Public Information Archive, Washington County Government continues to embrace measures that reduce transparency, yet still willingly work with outlets that lock information that matters to residents behind paywalls.

We will continue to fight for transparency and equal access for Washington County residents.

Part 3 is now available, highlighting questions regarding the County Treasurer’s salary.

Article by Ken Buckler, based upon information from Radio Free Hub City

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