Baltimore, MD – Common Cause Maryland condemns Baltimore County Executive Kathy Klausmeier’s participation in the final round of Inspector General candidate interviews — calling it a blatant conflict of interest that undermines the independence and integrity of the watchdog office.  

Constituents, community leaders, and members of the County Council have all criticized the opaque and closed-door search process. Common Cause Maryland strongly supports Councilman Izzy Patoka’s bill to create an independent advisory board to oversee the Inspector General appointment process. The organization is urging the County Council to adopt the measure concurrently with the Inspector General confirmation to ensure this chaotic, clandestine process is not the standard for future appointments. 

“It’s alarming that the County Executive has inserted herself into final round interviews — undermining a process that was supposed to be ‘independent.’ Her involvement further stains an already controversial process, leaving many to question whether the Office of the Inspector General is truly free from political influence, no matter who is nominated,” said Joanne Antoine, executive director of Common Cause Maryland. “We’re asking the County Council to adopt Councilman Patoka’s bill to create an independent advisory board at the same time they confirm an Inspector General to ensure this watchdog role has the full independence needed to hold our government accountable.” 

Antoine, who served on the Baltimore County Blue Ribbon Commission on Ethics and Accountability, noted that the Commission’s 2022 recommendations emphasized the need for strong guardrails around the Inspector General’s independence — including shielding the hiring process from political influence. 

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