Maryland Transgender Woman Sues Under Law She Helped Write

A transgender aide to a Montgomery County, Maryland councilwoman is suing the county for $5 million under an anti-discrimination law she helped write.

Dana Beyer, an adviser to Councilwoman Duchy Trachtenberg, helped draft a 2007 law that outlawed discrimination based on gender identity.

Now Beyer contends the county’s ethics commission broke that law during an investigation of her.

Beyer was investigated by the commission after a complaint by a group that opposed the anti-discrimination law. The group said Beyer used her position to try to intimidate opponents of the bill who were gathering signatures.

Beyer filed the $5 million lawsuit in February.

County spokesman Patrick Lacefield says the county believes Beyer’s claim has no merit and will ask a judge to dismiss it.