SILVER SPRING, Md. (AP) - Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler says he should have done more to see if there was underage drinking at teen beach party he visited.
Gansler, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for governor, spoke to reporters Thursday about stopping by the June party in Delaware. He said he needed to meet his 19-year-old son to talk to about travel plans.
A photo obtained by The Baltimore Sun and published Thursday shows Gansler amid a group of partying teens. Some of the young people are dancing and there are several red plastic cups visible.
Gansler says that while there was loud music, he didn't see any drinking. He says he left after talking with his son. He says he saw no reason to call police.
Governor Martin O’Malley, who is backing Gansler’s main Democratic rival Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown, declined to comment on what action, if any, Gansler should have taken at the party.
Meanwhile, the Century Council which is an organization sponsored by the liquor industry to fight drunken driving and underage drinking says it is pulling a 30 second spot with Gansler from the group’s YouTube channel.
In the ad the Maryland Attorney General tells parents that they are the leading influence on their children and that it’s never too early to talk to their kids about smart ways of saying no to alcohol.
