Baltimore County Inspector General Kelly Madigan will keep her job.

The Baltimore County Council Monday night on a 5-2 vote rejected County Executive Kathy Klausmeier’s nominee for the position, Khadija Walker.

In a video message recorded after the vote, Klausmeier called it “disheartening.”

Klausmeier said she will make no further nomination. That means Madigan will remain as inspector general at least through the rest of Klausmeier’s term, which ends in December of 2026.

“The office will continue its work preventing waste, fraud and abuse in county government without interruption,” Klausmeier said.

Madigan’s term has expired but she will remain in place as a “holdover,” Klausmeier said.

Madigan did not return calls for comment.

Republican David Marks, who voted against Walker’s nomination, said that while the county council almost always supports a county executive’s nominee, Madigan deserved a second term.

“She’s basically being recommended to be removed, yet this council has never been told why,” Marks said.

Walker’s qualifications were never questioned by council members. She has more than 20 years of experience as an auditor for the federal government.

But they did question how Klausmeier went about nominating Walker instead of Madigan.

“Baltimore County unfortunately has had a long history of back room dealings and unfortunately I think this whole process has become the poster child for the sins of the past,” said Mike Ertel, a Democrat, and the county council chairman.

Ertel and Marks were joined by Democrat Izzy Patoka and Republicans Wade Kach and Todd Crandell in rejecting Walker’s nomination.

Councilman Julian Jones, who has been the subject of two Madigan investigations, joined fellow Democrat Pat Young in voting in favor of Walker’s nomination.

Jones chastised the four council members, Marks, Crandell, Kach and Patoka, who said weeks ago they would only back Madigan to be reappointed.

Jones said their decision was “based on political considerations, and in some cases a refusal to support any nominee regardless of merit.”

Young, after casting his vote for Walker’s nomination said after meeting with her it was clear that “she was absolutely qualified, still is qualified and could absolutely do the job that would be required of her.”

For nearly three months the debate over the inspector general has sucked the oxygen out of the room that is Baltimore County government.

On May 12, at Klausmeier’s only meeting with Madigan, she gave Madigan a letter that said the county code called on the executive to conduct an open search for an inspector general.

Klausmeier’s office confirms that following that meeting, County Attorney James Benjamin advised Klausmeier that the code gave her the choice — and the authority — to reappoint Madigan. She chose not to, launching a national search instead.

In an interview with WYPR before the council vote Klausmeier said, “That’s how I interpreted it to myself and that’s what I wanted to do. Open up the process just to make sure I had the best, the most qualified person.”

Walker thanked the council Monday night for the “thoughtful consideration you have given to my nomination.”

Before voting against her, Councilman Kach told Walker, “I’m sorry you’re in this situation where we have two good people.”

Walker left the council chambers before the council members voted her nomination down.