Ernest “Skip” Cornbrooks Appointed Legal Counsel To Chesapeake Beach Ethics Commission

CHESAPEAKE BEACH, Md. — The Chesapeake Beach Town Council swore in attorney Ernest “Skip” Cornbrooks as the new legal counsel for the Chesapeake Beach Ethics Commission at their Jan. 6 meeting.

The appointment is in alignment with updates to state law.

Cornbrooks said during the meeting that he has been practicing law for 20 years and has represented several local governments, including the towns of Takoma Park and Hyattsville, and had advised other ethics committees.

Town Council members took the opportunity to ask Cornbrooks questions about his qualifications and his understanding of the town’s ethics code.

“An ethics commission has to stick faithfully to the provisions in the code,” Cornbrooks said. “It’s very tempting for ethics commissions to get involved in political disputes within whatever local government they find themselves in. But the purpose of an ethics commission is to follow the provisions and follow them to a T.” He also added that his personal value around ethics is “not to get sucked into the political fighting.”

Cornbrooks also added that he had little connection with Chesapeake Beach but had worked with Town Attorney Elissa Levan in the past and was looking forward to working more with Levan and the Town Council, and getting to know more about the town.

Mayor Bruce Wahl swore Cornbrooks in during the meeting to begin the role immediately.

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