Councilmember Riemer Calls Unions’ Charges ‘Outrageous and Frivolous’

County councilmember Hans Riemer called recent charges by three local unions that he had not disclosed his wife’s employment at Pfizer “ludicrous” and said that her income from that company will not change whether or not Montgomery County mandates its employees be vaccinated.

The presidents of the International Association of Fire Fighters IAFF Local 1664, Fraternal Order of Police FOP Lodge 35 and United Food and Commercial Workers Union UFCW Local 1994 issued a joint press release Oct. 2 pointing to Riemer’s 2020 financial disclosure as earning stock and income from Pfizer, which made one of the COVID-19 vaccines.

Riemer, who supports mandating vaccinations for county employees, lists his wife’s employment with Pfizer on his disclosure forms.

“The Biden Administration bought enough doses” of the vaccine for all eligible residents in this country and then gave Montgomery County its share at no cost, Riemer pointed out.

Riemer denied that he and his family would financially benefit from the use of the vaccine. “I think these assertions are outrageous and frivolous,” he said. Whether a mandate is agreed upon for county employees will not financially affect him or his wife’s job, he said.

“First of all, I fully disclose every year that my wife’s income comes from Pfizer. That’s how she gets paid,” he said.

About Suzanne Pollak

Suzanne is a freelance reporter with Montgomery Community Media. She has over 35 years professional experience writing for newspapers, magazines, non-profit newsletters and the web.

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