Kelly Madigan’s last day as Baltimore County’s first inspector general was much like her six-year tenure — eventful.

First, Baltimore County officials declared Madigan did not have the authority to name her deputy, Steve Quisenberry, to be her successor and serve as the acting inspector general. Only county executives have the power to name inspectors general in Baltimore County.

Quisenberry, a longtime former FBI agent, has agreed to remain in the role as a deputy inspector general and will conduct investigations and issue reports, just as Madigan did. The new county executive, who will be chosen in November, will appoint an inspector general under a new process that voters will have a chance to approve or reject in that same election.

Later on Friday, attorney Tonya Baña filed a complaint on behalf of a member of the Howard County Inspector General Advisory Board, which vetted the candidates and chose Madigan from a pool of nearly 50 applicants. The complaint alleges that Quisenberry violated Howard County ethics laws by serving on the advisory board that selected his boss, who in turn picked him for the top job in Baltimore County.

“Mr. Quisenberry has been, and continues to be, in violation of the provisions of the Howard County Public Ethics Law (the “Ethics Law”) and the Howard County Charter (the “Charter”) by actively participating in and substantially affecting the outcome of the Board’s deliberations and actions with respect to Ms. Madigan while working with and directly under her in the Baltimore County Office of the Inspector General," the complaint alleges.

Baña and her client, whom she declined to name, are asking the County Council to remove Quisenberry from the board, void Madigan’s contract and restart the process.

Quisenberry has maintained he recused himself from all matters concerning Madigan during the selection process. He said, when he raised his hand to be part of the board, he did so because he lives in Howard County and thought he had relevant expertise. Madigan called Howard County Councilwoman Liz Walsh to recommend Quisenberry. Walsh then chose Quisenberry as her nominee to the board. (Every councilmember got one.)

Reached Friday, Quisenberry said he had not seen the complaint and had no comment. Walsh said she had just received it Friday afternoon and had not read it. Inspector General Advisory Board Chair David Salem did not return calls.

Howard County Council Chair Opel Jones said the letter came as a shock Friday and raised questions about what comes next. He referred to the allegations as “pretty damning” and said they could be grounds for an investigation or possible removal.

Those who campaigned for a watchdog in Howard “should be just as concerned if the selection was done in a nefarious manner,” Jones said.

According to Baña’s letter, Kathleen Downs, who was a member of the Inspector General Advisory Board, resigned because of the Madigan-Quisenberry connection. In her resignation letter, Downs, who is not Baña’s client, wrote that, even though Quisenberry recused himself from Madigan deliberations, the group made decisions together.

“Even if there is no actual conflict of interest with hiring the boss of a board member if the board member ostensibly recused himself from voting, there is certainly the appearance of it and ‘the optics are bad,’ as the expression goes. The process appears tainted, which is bad when you are filling the IG position.” Downs wrote. “The ethical concerns are now compounded by the designation of that board member as the acting IG for Baltimore County to replace the IG hired for Howard County.”

Baña’s complaint also notes that Madigan testified in favor of creating the inspector general office, which was established after the council passed a bill Walsh introduced. At the time, Howard County leaders expressed hopes of hiring an IG like Madigan, or even Madigan herself, in part because she knew how to start an office from scratch. Madigan had done so in 2020, when then-County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr. appointed her the first inspector general in Baltimore County.

But later Olszewski’s administration chafed at her methods and targets — sometimes high-level political allies — and tried to curtail her powers. The public revolted, and the voters approved a measure to make the IG position stronger and more independent.

In May, County Executive Kathy Klausmeier, who was appointed when Olszewski won a seat in Congress, declined to appoint Madigan to a second term. Klausmeier’s refusal to explain why fueled public outrage, resulting in demonstrations in favor of keeping Madigan. Ultimately, the County Council said it would decline to choose anyone but Madigan and Klausmeier agreed to let her stay in the job.

Madigan also raised eyebrows when The Banner revealed she spent $190,000 of taxpayer funds on a lawsuit the county filed on her behalf against Olszewski’s former chief of staff Patrick Murray, long after Murray left office. The county had to pay Murray $100,000, and Madigan incurred $90,000 in legal fees pursuing it. The case remains sealed at the request of Madigan’s county-appointed attorney, Skip Cornbrooks. He has declined to comment.

Madigan has declined repeated requests for comment. She’s scheduled to begin her Howard County job this month.

Baltimore Banner reporter Lillian Reed contributed to this article.