Editor’s Note: This story was originally posted at 5:32 p.m. on Feb. 26. It was updated at 9:49 a.m. on Feb. 27 to correct the name of Miner’s blog as A Miner Detail: The Maryland Politics Hangout. It was previously referred to in the story as The Maryland Politics Hangount. It was also updated to correct that Miner filed the complaint on Feb. 20, not Feb. 21.
Local political blogger Ryan Miner says he has taken steps to withdraw a complaint of criminal harassment he filed against a local satirical blogger after the incident came to the public’s attention over the weekend.
Miner filed a complaint against Eric Saul, who runs The Takoma Torch, on Feb. 20 in Montgomery County District Court in Rockville, charging him with criminal harassment. Miner, who runs a local blog called A Miner Detail: The Maryland Politics Hangout, also filed a request for a peace order, which share similarities with a restraining order.
The complaint was in relation to a satirical headline by Saul on the social media site X, formerly known as Twitter. Saul’s post was written in response to Miner’s criticism of county school board candidate Laura Stewart after she announced her campaign for the board’s District 4 seat on Feb. 2. It used profanity and accused Miner of misogyny.
Miner told MoCo360 in a statement via email Monday that he has taken steps to end the legal dispute.
“In my immediate reaction, seeking relief through our courts seemed the only way to address a matter that I found offensive,” Miner wrote. “Yet, as someone engaged in the often contentious sphere of blogging and podcasting, I realize that my attempt to resolve a conflict escalated the situation much further than intended. I made a mistake; I overreacted. I am genuinely sorry for what has transpired.”
The dispute was made public after Saul posted on his blog Sunday night that he found out that he had been charged with criminal harassment. He said several deputies from the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office woke him and his wife up at 1 a.m. on Feb. 21 to serve him with a peace order.
“Miner somehow convinced a district court commissioner to approve ‘criminal harassment’ charges he filed against me. My crime? I ridiculed him in a tweet,” Saul wrote. “It should be deeply disturbing to anyone that Ryan Miner was able to weaponize the court system and effortlessly convince a district court commissioner to approve having the Montgomery County State’s Attorney violate the First Amendment by criminally charging me for a satirical mean tweet about a public figure – one who regularly attacks others who do not share his unpopular political views on social media.”
Lauren DeMarco, a representative with the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office, told MoCo360 in an email statement that the office has not been involved with this charge.
“Any indication that the State’s Attorney’s Office has filed charges in this case is incorrect. Our office has had zero involvement thus far,” DeMarco wrote. “Once the case is forwarded to the State’s Attorney’s Office for review, as with any citizen complaint, it will be screened by a prosecutor and a decision will be made as to whether or not to proceed on charges.”
DeMarco also said the office does not handle peace orders.
Saul’s post drew attention on social media from community members across the political spectrum, including Stewart.
Bethany Mandel of Silver Spring, a conservative commentator who is running against Stewart for school board and has been openly critical of her views, said in a tweet that Miner went too far.
Scott Goldberg, a real estate management CEO and former Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee president, started a GoFundMe to support Saul’s legal defense fund. The fundraiser had accrued $2,500 and was still live as of 4:30 p.m. Monday.
“We’ve all read and enjoyed The Torch these past years free of charge, so the least we can do is support free speech now so we can continue to be entertained for years to come,” Goldberg wrote. “…Let’s get him some cash.” He noted that any extra funds raised would be donated to a D.C.-area domestic violence nonprofit.
Miner said in his statement that the incident made him reexamine the importance of respecting First Amendment rights.
“Freedom of speech is a cornerstone of our democracy, and in navigating my response to what I perceived as offensive, I’ve come to appreciate even more the responsibility that accompanies our right to free expression,” Miner wrote. “In hindsight, I should have connected privately with Mr. Saul to discuss my concerns to de-escalate the situation and understand his perspective. I wish to apologize to Mr. Saul and his family for the stress I have caused, and I wish them only the best moving forward.”
Saul’s lawyer Robbie Leonard confirmed to MoCo360 that he received an email from Miner on Monday saying he will request for the peace order to be withdrawn, but Leonard said he remains skeptical until Miner has taken all steps to officially remove the charge.
“Mr. Miner has a history online with making these kinds of statements and these apologies, posting on his blog, and on his Twitter account, and then to go back to the same kind of behavior,” Leonard said. “So who knows how he’s going to feel when he wakes up tomorrow on his way to the courthouse. We’re still going to be prepared to fight in the courthouse if we have to.”
Saul told MoCo360 that withdrawing the complaint won’t fix the damage that’s already been done, and that he will have lost money since he hired a lawyer.
“I was told I could be arrested. …This is a serious allegation. I haven’t slept well; it’s been a tough week,” Saul said. “I am angry that our system of justice does this to people. This needs to be changed. You can’t just willy-nilly charge a claim without evidence. No evidence has been presented yet.”