Olszewski’s former chief of staff identified as former employee in inspector general lawsuit
Rona Kobell
The Baltimore Banner
September 5, 2025
Baltimore County paid former chief of staff Patrick Murray $100,000 to settle a lawsuit that its inspector general filed against him long after he left county employment — then asked the court to seal the case and exempt it from related Maryland Public Information Act requests.
The Banner reported on the settlement last month but was unable to name the person, who was identified only as Employee A in court documents.
At Tuesday night’s County Council meeting, former County Administrative Officer Fred Homan said during his public testimony that the person known as Employee A is Murray.
Murray subsequently confirmed that he is Employee A but declined to comment further.
Spokesperson Erica Palmisano said Baltimore County is unable to comment because it’s subject to a court order that legally binds both parties from publicly discussing the matter.
Murray served as Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr.’s chief of staff after Olszewski was elected in 2018. Murray left Baltimore County in September 2022, becoming senior adviser and later chief of staff to Frederick County Executive Jessica Fitzwater three months later.
Inspector General Kelly Madigan, through a private attorney that council records show the county hired for her in March 2024, filed her lawsuit against Murray the following month, about 19 months after he left county employment.
Two county council members said they remain perplexed about the lawsuit and the settlement.
“How did it come to be that we ended up spending $100,000? I don’t know the answer,” said Councilman Julian Jones, a Randallstown Democrat. “I think the public has a right to know and the council has a right to know.”
Surprise over lawsuit’s secrecy
Baltimore County Circuit Judge Keith R. Truffer agreed to seal the case and deny future PIAs at the request of Baltimore County Attorney James Benjamin, according to a judge’s order the county provided The Banner.
According to a court clerk, the reason attorneys representing the county gave in their request to seal the records was to protect the privacy of Employee A.
Homan argued that, now that Murray has been identified, the council and Benjamin no longer need to keep the lawsuit private.
“I am here to ask the county executive to stop this stuff, to intercede and release the information,” Homan said. “… Otherwise, there is no point in having the word transparency come out of any of your mouths because it’s the opposite of what’s happening here.”
County Council members are accustomed to Homan speaking during the public testimony portion of the meeting and dredging up old grievances. But on Tuesday the longtime former county official gave council members information they didn’t know.
“I was surprised we were asking for this to be sealed. I always thought maybe Pat Murray asked for that,” said Jones, adding that he planned to talk to Benjamin about releasing the settlement.
Councilman Pat Young, a Catonsville Democrat, said the council did not know it was approving this kind of litigation when in March 2024 it authorized spending $150,000 a year for five years in cases where the county inspector general had a conflict of interest.
The county hired the Baltimore firm of Karpinski, Cornbrooks and Karp, which sued Murray on behalf of Madigan’s office a month later.
“I don’t think we recognized there would be a suit and a settlement later down the road,” Young said. “As much as they ‘brief’ us, they know the details, and they are giving us just what we need to know.”
The settlement with Murray occurred against the backdrop of a fight over whether Madigan would continue in the job. County Executive Kathy Klausmeier did not reappoint her and nominated someone else to fill the post. But the County Council declined to confirm Klausmeier’s choice, so Madigan remains in a holdover capacity until a new county executive takes office in early 2027.
Madigan did not return a message seeking comment.
Councilman Izzy Patoka said he was working on announcing his run for county executive and was not focused on Homan’s remarks. Council members Mike Ertel, Wade Kach, Todd Crandell and David Marks did not return messages seeking comment.
Jones sponsored legislation that requires the county attorney to list all the settlements and how much they cost at the end of every year in part because of his concerns over undisclosed settlements and the millions of dollars spent each year on legal fees. Jones expected Murray’s name would be in the records at the end of the year but likely no more information than that.
Why target Murray?
Murray, 46, has spent his career as a high-level lieutenant for public officials ranging from former Senate President Thomas V. “Mike” Miller to former House speaker Michael Busch, both deceased. As the second-in-command to Olszewski, Murray made sure the county staff ran effectively.
In spring 2021, Olszewski and Jones began receiving complaints from department heads and others that they were uncomfortable with investigations by Madigan, whom the county executive appointed as the county’s first inspector general, fulfilling a campaign promise.
Murray and other senior Olszewski administration officials responded by attempting to place parameters on Madigan’s reach. Olszewski and Jones both introduced legislation to restrict Madigan’s authority. A public outcry ensued. Eventually, a commission recommended strengthening the inspector general’s office.
Jones has been alone among the council members in criticizing Madigan — partly because she investigated him for his role in having a Towson alley paved and for having a “donate” button on his email account. Jones maintains he did nothing wrong in either case.
Homan’s testimony came the same night the council agreed to expand the inspector general’s power to include oversight of the county school system.
The state inspector general oversees county school systems, said Jones, who was the lone council member to vote against expanding Madigan’s authority. The Maryland General Assembly has to approve such a move; it declined to do so the last time the matter was before it in 2021.