By Adam Pagnucco.
Earlier today, I wrote about a lawsuit filed by county executive candidate Mithun Banerjee against the Montgomery County Renters Alliance and Montgomery Community Media (MCM). Banerjee alleges that he was unfairly excluded from a county executive forum that the two organizations sponsored last night and that they violated their 501(c)(3) tax status in doing so.
MCM CEO Jasmine White sent me the following statement on Banerjee’s lawsuit.
*****
Montgomery Community Media (MCM) is aware of a concern that has been raised regarding our participation as a co-sponsor of the Democratic Primary Candidates Forum on Renters’ Rights and Affordable Housing, hosted by the Montgomery County Renters Alliance scheduled for October 8, 2025.
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public access media organization, MCM provides facilities, platforms, and technical support so that community organizations can host civic discussions of public interest.
The County Executive Candidates Forum is produced and hosted by the Montgomery County Renters Alliance. MCM does not select the participants or influence the content presented during the forum. Therefore, the views and opinions expressed during the event are solely those of the organizers, moderators, and participants and do not represent the views of MCM or its Board of Directors.
MCM remains committed to facilitating free speech, supporting open access to media, and connecting people through shared information and community dialogue.
*****
Update: Renters Alliance Executive Director Matt Losak said the following about Banerjee’s lawsuit in a recent email.
*****
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.