Local media mogul Sherrie Clifford recently released one of her podcasts, this one titled "The 'Circle of Trust' in HOA Leadership: Who’s In, Who’s Out?"

She says, "In this episode of ROC BUZZ, we explore how informal cliques and private gatherings can create the perception or reality of insider governance."

Clifford operates the Facebook ROC page, a ROC BUZZ podcast, a website, and ROC News - an online "newspaper."

The ROC Facebook page says Clifford is a "Group expert" and "chosen by admins to help answer questions and share their knowledge with the group." She is the only listed group expert.

The only other listed "Admin" on the Facebook page is Amy Peck, a current candidate for the OPA Board of Directors. Apparently, Peck and Clifford, as the only "Admins" chose Clifford as the "Group expert." It appears the ROC site was created originally by Clifford.

Clifford's ROC BUZZ page states: "The ROC also known as the 'Residents Oversight Community' created for the residents of Ocean Pines to communicate and share factual information."

Anyone listening to Clifford's Circle of Trust podcast, other than perhaps hard core OPA board politics aficionados, will be asking: "What the heck is this all about? Who is in this Circle of Trust? Does the Circle include just board members or also OPA employees, committee members?"

None of those questions are answered. In other words, to be perfectly clear, the entire podcast contains no facts about Ocean Pines. It is all innuendo, perhaps leading many listeners to conclude something nefarious is going on.

Here are the key accusations:

Clifford claims the members of the Circle can be identified via images on social media. She talks about dinners and drinks; group outings to professional sporting events; backyard parties, etc.

She says it is typically members of the same Board of Directors majority, "often accompanied by individuals who advise (the board), interpret the rules, or manage the day to day operations of OPA. She even suggests newspaper publishers can become part of the Circle, by protecting the Circle members when making decisions about what to publish or not.

Clifford does not claim this Ocean Pines Circle of Trust is doing anything illegal or nefarious, but her broad brush suggestion of who she suspects is in the Circle is terrible journalism. Her words may very well lead listeners to conclude the Circle includes any or all OPA employees, from the General Manager on down, as well as any or all committee members. What about OPA legal counsel as someone who "interprets the rules?"

Is there some Ocean Pines Circle of Trust as Clifford claims?