A day after news broke in May that Baltimore County Executive Kathy Klausmeier was not going to reappoint Kelly Madigan as inspector general, Councilman Pat Young took to Facebook to voice full-throated support for the county’s fraud and waste watchdog.

“Kelly Madigan has demonstrated time and again that she is not only capable, but exactly the kind of leader we need at the helm of this office,” he wrote. “I support her continued leadership and believe reappointing her would reaffirm our shared commitment to accountability and transparency in Baltimore County.”

Thus, to some insiders, the statement Young issued yesterday on the eve of the County Council hearing on Klausmeier’s pick for inspector general (hint: it wasn’t Madigan) was a reflection of the intense lobbying underway to win Council approval of Khadija Walker, a little-known auditor from USAID’s Washington office.

The Catonsville Democrat, who is running for county executive in 2026, is one of seven lawmakers who are expected to take an up or down vote on Walker next Monday.

Since Madigan remains in office, a vote against Walker would suggest that Madigan will continue as IG or that Klausmeier might take the drastic step of trying to fire her.

With three Republican councilmen (Todd Crandell, Wade Kach and David Marks) and one Democrat (Izzy Patoka) saying they will only support Madigan for the position, winning Young over to “Team Walker” is critical if Klausmeier is going to get her way.

All of which explains why close watchers of the IG saga were taken aback by Young’s statement yesterday.

“If the decision were mine alone,” he said, he would still favor Madigan.

“That said,” he continued, “my role in an imperfect process is to assess the qualification and abilities of the nominee . . .”

Compare his latest and previous statements.

July 29, 2025

May 14, 2025