Baltimore County Residents Support Kelly Madigan

Community Rallies Against New Inspector General Nomination in Baltimore County

Residents of Baltimore County came together on Tuesday to voice their concerns over the appointment of a new inspector general, highlighting a lack of transparency in the process and expressing support for the current inspector general, Kelly Madigan. The rally took place just hours before the County Council was set to conduct its first public vetting of the nominee, Khadija Walker.

The event drew a diverse group of participants, including members of the community, former lawmakers, and leaders from the Baltimore County Public Schools. Activists and local figures emphasized that the protest was not about a single individual but rather about a series of decisions that have undermined the independence of the inspector general role.

Yara Cheikh, a local activist and president of the Baltimore County Public Library’s board of library trustees, spoke at the rally, stating, “We’re here not because of any one person, but because of a set of bad decisions that have thwarted the independence of the position of the inspector general.” She and others called for changes to make the appointment process more independent and transparent.

Since May, many county residents have strongly supported Madigan after County Executive Kathy Klausmeier announced an open search for her role, which came as a surprise to her. In response, residents drafted an open letter urging Klausmeier to reappoint Madigan. The letter received over 250 digital signatures, and a group of supporters delivered it directly to a representative of the executive.

David Williams, president of the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, praised Madigan, saying, “She has ruffled some feathers, and that’s a really good thing. If you’re the Inspector General and you’re ruffling feathers, you’re doing your job.”

Cathy Wolfson, a former member of the planning board who had been interviewed by Madigan and her team, highlighted her integrity and expressed concern that the watchdog team Madigan established might be dismantled. Despite the widespread support, Klausmeier has maintained that she has the authority to conduct an open search for the role.

In late June, Klausmeier formed a five-person panel to review candidates for the position and last week nominated Walker, a former federal auditor, to fill the role, pending council confirmation. Some raised questions about Walker’s qualifications, noting that she is not an attorney but an auditor. Jim Brochin, a former state senator, also questioned how long it would take for Walker to adapt to working within county government.

The issue has drawn attention from members of the Baltimore County Board of Education, including Julie Henn and Maggie Litz Domanowski, who addressed the crowd. Henn, representing District 5, explained that the inspector general is a school issue due to the cost savings associated with the position. She emphasized that every dollar lost to fraud, waste, and abuse in the county is a dollar taken away from schools, which could otherwise be used for teacher salaries, new schools, or other unmet needs.

Henn also supported a proposal to bring the school district under the inspector general’s purview. Councilman David Marks, a Republican from Upper Falls, plans to introduce a resolution next week asking state legislators to pass a bill expanding the inspector general’s oversight to the schools. Currently, only Montgomery County’s inspector general has jurisdiction over its local school system.

Domanowski, representing District 3 on the school board, stated that the issue was not about Walker’s nomination but about the fact that Madigan was not reappointed. Most speakers at the rally shared this sentiment, though some voiced concerns about Walker’s experience.

Efforts to reform the appointment process have also gained momentum. Councilman Izzy Patoka, a Democrat from Pikesville, introduced a charter amendment that would create an independent board to appoint and reappoint the county’s inspector general, aiming to remove political influence from the process. Speaking at the rally, Patoka said he had met with Walker, calling her a “very impressive person,” but added that he would “stay on the Madigan train.”