"The county council shall have power to issue subpoenas for witnesses, and the president thereof shall have power to administer the oath to any witness who may be examined before the council, such oath to have all the qualities of an oath taken before any other judicial tribunal or officers, and violations thereof to be punishable as other perjuries are punishable."

The Montgomery County Council claims that they will be holding an "oversight hearing" on February 8, 2024, to review the Montgomery County Inspector General's report on MCPS.

Oversight? Really or just more theater?  

The Montgomery County Council could hold a real oversight hearing by issuing subpoenas to witnesses and administering oaths to witnesses that appear at the hearing.  

But will they? 

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Montgomery County Code

Sec. 2-20. Power to subpoena witnesses and administer oaths.

   (a)   The county council shall have power to issue subpoenas for witnesses, and the president thereof shall have power to administer the oath to any witness who may be examined before the council, such oath to have all the qualities of an oath taken before any other judicial tribunal or officers, and violations thereof to be punishable as other perjuries are punishable.

   (b)   All council subpoenas shall be executed by the council president or a duly authorized designee and may be served by the sheriff of the county or any person who could lawfully serve a subpoena in a civil case.

   (c)   Failure to comply with a subpoena duly issued under this section shall be a misdemeanor and any person, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) or sentenced to not more than six (6) months in jail, or both; in addition thereto, the county may institute injunctions, mandamus or any other appropriate actions or proceeding of law or in equity to require compliance with a subpoena duly issued under this section.

 (Mont. Co. Code 1965, § 2-22; 1910, ch. 484, § 177T; 1912, ch. 790, § 474; 1978 L.M.C., ch. 20, § 1.)

https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/montgomerycounty/latest/montgomeryco_md/0-0-0-117249