Baltimore County is being sued for documents related to a court case involving its former inspector general, Kelly Madigan. The documents relate to sealed court records about a meeting that happened five years ago between Madigan and then-County Executive Johnny Olszewski’s chief of staff, Pat Murray.
Fred Homan, Baltimore County’s former administrative officer, filed the suit. Homan says the county denied his Public Information Action requests for documents related to the case. According to Homan’s attorney, Michael McCann, the suit was filed Friday.
According to the suit, “It is critically important to our democracy that members of the public be allowed free and open access to information regarding the openness of their government. This is particularly true when the information sought involves allegations of wrongdoing by the government itself or its employees.”
According to reporting by the Baltimore Banner, Madigan and Murray met in March of 2021. Madigan thought Murray was trying to get her to back off from an investigation into the county’s involvement on behalf of developer David Cordish, who wanted to build a tennis barn on his property. Murray thought he was just offering constructive criticism about Madigan at times being too aggressive.
A March 2022 report by WYPR revealed that on April 8, 2021, Murray sent Madigan an email that she must ask for records in writing. Madigan eventually declined to follow that order from Murray.
Eventually, Madigan sued Murray. The case was settled and sealed and was shielded from PIA requests.
Now comes Homan’s suit which questions why the case was sealed in the first place.
Homan is asking that his PIA requests regarding the case be coughed up by the county. They include all forms of communications including emails between the county’s Office of Law and other attorneys related to the case.
“The Court does not have authority to prospectively and indefinitely require the denial of any and all future requests under the PIA irrespective of the nature and content of those requests,” according to Homan’s suit.
Dakarai Turner, press secretary for County Executive Kathy Klausmeier said in a statement, “We cannot comment at this time, because we have not yet been served, and we have not had opportunity to review the Complaint.”
