Maryland Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate Doug Gansler said he should have investigated possible underage drinking when he spoke to his son at a beach party in June.
A picture surfaced earlier this week of Gansler surrounded by teens dancing and drinking out of red cups. Initially, the state’s top law enforcement official said potential drinking by the teens was not his responsibility, but after a media storm surrounded the event he is backtracking.
“This was a dance party with loud music and there may have been some college students or others drinking beer, I just don’t know,” he said at a press conference on Thursday. “What I could have done was investigate whether there was drinking going on and then take action on that and for that I probably should have done that.”
Gansler now says he understands that there was likely drinking at the event.
“There could be Kool-Aid in the red cups,” he said, “but there’s probably beer in the red cups.”
Gansler said he doesn’t think the media storm will hurt his run for governor.
“We’re in it. We’re going to win it,” Gansler said. “The people of Maryland, they want somebody with the character, judgment, record, vision, authenticity, who is genuine and going to make the best Maryland. We’re fine.”
Jane Timm