"Prestige for Sale? The Ethics Board Just Blew the Whistle on Council President Vincenti"
When taxpayer-funded staff and campaign politics mix, it’s time for Harford County to pay attention.
🚨 The Ethics Board Has Spoken—And It’s Loud and Clear
The Harford County Board of Ethics has officially issued Opinion 25-01, and the name at the center of it is none other than Council President Patrick Vincenti.
A Harford County resident filed a formal ethics complaint alleging that Vincenti’s taxpayer-funded assistant was moonlighting as a campaign mouthpiece—disguised as a civil servant. The complaint showed that “Council News,” a so-called newsletter, was pushed out via a personal Facebook page, branded with the county seal, and promoted as if it were an official government communication.
Let’s be clear: The Council never approved this newsletter, never published it on the official website, and never authorized it as a legitimate county-wide communication.
🧾 Not Transparency—Just Political Promotion
Using an official county email address, Vincenti’s assistant asked residents to subscribe to the newsletter. She published issues regularly—on the clock—during government business hours.
The “Council News” wasn't news. It was a campaign spotlight, disproportionately emphasizing Vincenti’s actions while excluding the work of other councilmembers.
And while the assistant distributed the newsletter, there was no official channel—no County Council website, no resolution, no vote, no records of approval. It was a ghost publication dressed up in government logos.
🧍♂️ Let’s Talk About the Elephant in the Room: Staffing
Here's a question that deserves a serious answer:
Why does the President of the County Council have so many assistants?
Most Councilmembers have one staffer. That makes sense for the volume and scope of their work. As Council President, a modest increase might be justifiable—maybe two assistants. But by all appearances, Vincenti has staffed up beyond reason. Why?
Even more concerning: It is widely known that he brings one of his assistants with him nearly everywhere he goes—including dinners, banquets, and events that fall well outside normal government functions.
Harford County residents have a right to ask:
🧾 Are we footing the bill for these outings?
🚗 Are we covering mileage, meals, and overtime for campaign-style handshaking?
💰 Are taxpayers sponsoring a personal entourage?
That’s not public service—it’s self-service.
⚖️ The Law and the Violation
The Ethics Code is clear:
§ 23-5G(1): “An official or employee may not intentionally use the prestige of office or public position for private gain of that official or employee or the private gain of another.”
The Board found reasonable basis to believe this line was crossed. And even though a formal hearing was avoided, the ethical concerns remain glaring.
Vincenti doubled down by creating a new public Facebook page titled “Patrick Vincenti Harford County Council President”—but guess what? It’s still a campaign page. It promotes fundraisers. It pushes his narrative. And yes, it still showcases “Council News” stamped with the County Seal.
Meanwhile, other councilmembers publish newsletters, too—but they use unique logos, avoid government symbols, and don't blur campaign with county business.
🛠 The Board's Fix: Reform, Not Reprimand
Rather than issue penalties, the Board made clear what’s needed: a serious overhaul of the Ethics Code.
They’re recommending:
A ban on taxpayer-funded staff doing campaign work during government hours
Prohibitions on requiring staff to participate in campaign efforts
Clear separation between county business and political promotion
📣 Bottom Line: Enough with the Charade
Harford County residents deserve better.
We deserve real transparency—not newsletters disguised as government outreach.
We deserve ethical leadership—not campaign hype funded by the public.
We deserve accountability—not an expanding entourage of assistants whose job seems to be following one man to dinner.
The Ethics Board did its job. Now it’s time for us to do ours.
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Because when public office becomes personal property, the people need to speak louder.
Did the Ethics Board state that an overhaul of the Ethics Code is needed? If so, is it the County Council that must initiate the changes? If not, then who is responsible for updating? Is this yet another taxpayer slap in the face by Council President Vincenti? You may have noticed, Thomas, that elected representative cheerleading is the official sport of Harford County.