Latest news with #IzzyPatoka
CBS News
08-08-2025
- CBS News
Baltimore County small business with an Israeli flag vandalized, police say
A Baltimore County storefront with an Israeli flag was vandalized Thursday morning, according to police. County councilman Izzy Patoka shared a photo of Kitchen Design by Idan, in the 6000 block of Falls Road, and the Israeli flag spray-painted red. "When it comes to expressions of hate, there can be no tolerance," Patoka said. "Today, I learned that a small business in our district, Kitchen Design by Idan, was the target of an apparent antisemitic act of vandalism." Police told WJZ they have been in contact with local organizations within the Jewish community to address potential concerns in the community. Anyone with information on the vandalism should call the Baltimore County Police Department at 410-887-4636. "Antisemitism has no place in our county, state, or country," Patoka said. "We must continue to call it out and speak with moral clarity." Advocates in the Baltimore area and law enforcement have recently taken steps to combat hate and antisemitism. The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore recently launched The Center to Combat Antisemitism and Hate, a new facility aimed at educating the public about antisemitism and fighting misinformation. The region has seen several antisemitic incidents in recent years. In July, a portion of a Baltimore School Board meeting was interrupted by racist and antisemitic content. The interruption prompted a hate crime investigation, officials said. Maryland law enforcement has said it is stepping up patrols in Jewish communities to protect them from hate crimes. Baltimore County Police said it would increase presence and patrols around places of worship, community centers, and other sensitive areas, in Pikesville specifically, given the large Jewish community there. The Baltimore Police Department and the Howard County Police Department also said they would increase patrols and presence similarly.
CBS News
07-07-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Baltimore County eyes Independent Inspector General Board after city watchdog's warning
What began as a warning from Baltimore City's top watchdog back in May is now inching toward reality in Baltimore County. In a story first reported by WJZ, Baltimore City Inspector General Isabel Mercedes Cumming cautioned county leaders that their Inspector General's independence could be compromised without structural protections, just as city voters moved to safeguard hers in 2022. An appointment board proposed Baltimore County Councilman Izzy Patoka is proposing to establish an inspector general appointment board. Patoka's proposal would create a seven-member independent board responsible for appointing and reappointing the county's Inspector General, insulating the process from political influence. The effort comes amid controversy surrounding current Inspector General Kelly Madigan, who says she was blindsided when Interim County Executive Kathy Klausmeier required her to reapply for the position she helped create five years ago. "Thirty-four public reports, five annual reports... made over a hundred recommendations," Madigan said when she spoke with WJZ in early May, underscoring her office's accomplishments. Patoka stressed that this would not be an advisory or oversight group. "Let me repeat, it is not an advisory board," he said. "It is not an oversight board. It is an appointment board." Risking undermining the Inspector General In May, WJZ spoke with Cumming in Baltimore City, where an 87% majority of voters approved a charter amendment to create an independent advisory board free of elected officials. She warned then that Baltimore County risked undermining its own Inspector General without similar action. "Saying you have an Inspector General that's independent but keeping her under the watchdog of an elected official—that's not true independence," Cumming said. What's the purpose of the appointment board? Cumming is publicly supporting Patoka's proposal. "I strongly support this bill," she said Monday. "As the Inspector General of Baltimore City, I worked with the City Council to pass a similar amendment. I have complete confidence Baltimore County voters will stand with their Inspector General as ours did." Under Patoka's proposal, the appointment board would consist of: A County Executive appointee A County Council appointee A retired judge selected by the Director of the Ethics Commission A member of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners A member of the Maryland Association of Certified Public Accountants A faculty member from a Baltimore County college or university A faculty member from a Historically Black College or University in the Baltimore region Madigan is being interviewed for reappointment Madigan is undergoing a formal interview process to determine whether she will be reappointed. Patoka says he hopes her name is forwarded to the council. "I'm hoping we can be beyond this point and move on with the other business of Baltimore County government," Patoka said. If the charter amendment gains five votes on the County Council, it would go before voters in the 2026 election.
CBS News
13-05-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Baltimore County Inspector General told she will need to reapply instead of being reappointed
Baltimore County Inspector General Kelly Madigan was informed that she will not be reappointed to the position and will need to reapply during an open hiring process. In a statement shared with WJZ, Madigan said she met with County Executive Kathy Klausmeier, who told her the county would be hiring for the position and Madigan was "welcome to reapply." The decision has sparked concerns among some community leaders. Baltimore County hiring inspector general Madigan finished a five-year term as inspector general in January. According to our partners at The Baltimore Banner, she was hoping the county executive would reappoint her for a second term. "I love the job," Madigan told the Banner. "Of course, I want to stay and finish it out. I want to give Baltimore County four more years of my hard work." However, during a meeting, Klausmeier's office provided a letter indicating Madigan would not be reappointed. Under state law, the county executive has the ability to reapoint an inspector general. Baltimore County Councilman shares concern over open hiring In a letter sent to the county executive, Baltimore County Councilman Izzy Patoka shared his support for Madigan. "Ms. Madigan has done an outstanding job over her five years of leadership of the Inspector General's office," Patoka wrote. "It is very difficult to create a new office for a government entity. It is especially difficult in Ms. Madigan's case, given the nature of her mission and work program." The councilman also expressed concern about the need for Madigan to reapply for the inspector general position. "Ms. Madigan has worked hard to understand the nuances of each county agency," Patoka wrote. "I am concerned that the selection of a new inspector general would need time to gain the knowledge that Ms. Madigan has already achieved in terms of the complexity of county government." "I am urging you to suspend this open hiring process for the Baltimore County Inspector General and reappoint Ms. Madigan," he added. Baltimore City Inspector General Isabel Cumming also expressed concern over the open hiring process. "UNBELIEVABLE! Shame on Acting Balt County Executive Katherine Klausmeirer for playing politics with IG Kelly Madigan," IG Cumming said in a social media post. "The law allows the [County Executive] to reappoint her, but NO - she is making the IG reapply for her own job!" Last month, IG Madigan was named fraud fighter of the year by the Maryland chapter of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, the Baltimore Banner reported.
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Multiple candidates eyeing multimillion-dollar race for Baltimore County executive
BALTIMORE — The 2026 campaign for Baltimore County executive is shaping up to be a multimillion-dollar race. Recent campaign finance disclosures show county councilmembers Izzy Patoka and Julian Jones, both Democrats, with account balances of $1.3 million and $1 million, respectively. Both have suggested they may launch campaigns soon. The 2026 election will also be the first to feature public financing in Baltimore County. Candidates can't officially file their campaign until the end of this month. State Sen. Charles Sydnor, a Baltimore County Democrat, also is considering a campaign, his office said Monday. His most recent disclosure shows a balance of $110,000. Nick Stewart, co-founder of the advocacy group We The People, said he's 'having conversations' about jumping in the race as a Democrat. Councilmember Pat Young, also a Democrat, did not respond to a request for comment. His most recent disclosure shows a balance of $228,000. A candidate can receive maximum public contributions of $750,000 for the primary and $750,000 for general elections. A candidate who opts for public contributions also can expend a limited amount of money from their citizen-funded campaign accounts — no more than $1.4 million for a primary and $1.4 million for a general election. Patoka hasn't announced his campaign yet but noted he has 'a significant amount of donors, which really encourages me to go forward on this process of determining my political future in a county executive run … Right now, all the mechanisms are in place for a run, and we'll likely hear something soon about that.' Jones said he's 'seriously looking at' running for the seat and plans to make an announcement 'sometime later this year if it's the direction we take, of course.' 'I'm honored that so many people in Baltimore County support the work I've been doing,' Jones said. Stewart suggested that public financing in Baltimore County is not 'all that viable' given the level of funding available. Though public financing can help provide campaign opportunities for more candidates, 'it's not really an even playing field,' given that some candidates can raise much more money on their own, said Roger Hartley, dean of the College of Public Affairs at the University of Baltimore. But public funding still 'helps a candidate get out there and get in the game,' he said. Public financing isn't open to just anyone. To qualify for matching funds, a candidate must receive at least 550 contributions and $50,000 in qualifying contributions. 'That means that they really have to show some viability,' Hartley said. The disclosures come shortly after the council selected former State Sen. Kathy Klausmeier as county executive. She's filling the vacancy left by Johnny Olszewski, who recently was sworn into Congress. The council requested that all applicants for the position commit not to run in 2026. 'The Baltimore County executive — and county executives in the state of Maryland, period — are very powerful positions,' Hartley said, both because of the powers of the office itself, and because the position can 'skyrocket a person into a higher-level office.' ____
