Council pushes back after Baltimore County executive bypasses Inspector General for reappointment
She instead nominated Khadija Walker to take over.
The decision comes despite broad support for Madigan among council members. She helped establish the office and has served as inspector general for the past five years.
"We have this binary choice of yes, we accept this nominee, or we don't," County Councilman Izzy Patoka said. "A majority of members have said that they really are only going to support Madigan – including me."
Klausmeier's nominee, Khadija Walker, spent most of her career at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Chicago, largely as a program analyst.
In a news release Thursday, the county executive said Walker "has more than 22 years of high-level inspector general experience."
However, some government watchdogs and councilmembers argue that the county's inspector general role requires a more investigative focus.
Baltimore City Inspector General Isabel Cumming said that while Walker has auditing experience, the position in Baltimore County demands a deeper focus on rooting out "waste, fraud and abuse across municipal government."
Patoka also voiced concerns about the process.
"She [Madigan] began the office, and I thought she should have been reappointed," he said. "A number of my colleagues felt like she should have been reappointed. The county executive decided to go in a different direction."
If the council rejects Walker's nomination, Madigan will remain in the role until a new nominee is put forward.
"I think a good number of the councilmembers would like Ms. Madigan's name forwarded to be reappointed," Patoka added.
The nomination is scheduled to be discussed at the Baltimore County Council's July 29 work session, followed by a vote during an upcoming legislative session.
Madigan has not responded to WJZ's request for comment.
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