U.S. Rep. Johnny Olszewski Jr. has acknowledged to The Baltimore Sun that, as Baltimore County executive, he supported a private meeting between then-Chief of Staff Patrick Murray and then-Inspector General Kelly Madigan in 2021, one he says was called to discuss complaints about the IG’s investigative tactics.
The meeting ultimately led to years of litigation, three outside investigations and at least $125,000 in taxpayer spending.
“Senior staff, including the then-County Executive, agreed that a conversation might be helpful in exploring ways to ensure employees — new to the process — could comfortably and fully participate in investigations without feeling intimidated,” Olszewski’s spokeswoman Jaime Lennon said in a statement to The Baltimore Sun.
The statement marks the first time Olszewski has publicly acknowledged supporting the meeting, which later became the focal point of allegations that his administration sought to influence the county’s independent watchdog. Murray has repeatedly denied those allegations.
Lennon did not say whether the meeting was Olszewski’s idea or who ultimately arranged it.
The meeting drew scrutiny because inspector general offices are expected to operate independently of the elected officials and political appointees they oversee.
Madigan has alleged Murray used the meeting to discourage her office from pursuing an investigation into whether developer David Cordish received preferential treatment from county officials while seeking approvals for a proposed tennis barn near his home.
The facility was ultimately never built. The Office of the Inspector General later concluded county officials “appeared to give” preferential treatment during the approval process.
Murray has consistently denied attempting to interfere with the inspector general’s work, maintaining that the purpose of the meeting was to discuss concerns about the impact investigations were having on county employees.
Read the full story on The Baltimore Sun’s website.
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