Harford Executive Cassilly Rebukes County Council’s Abuse of Power in Bill 26-022

Harford County Executive Bob Cassilly has denounced the County Council's passage of legislation that opens the door to politically motivated abuses of power.

Bill 26-022, under the guise of accountability, transforms the existing office of County Auditor into a political operative of the county council and empowers the auditor to conduct politically motivated investigations as directed by the council, issue subpoenas for private citizens' records and compel their testimony in secret proceedings which lack adequate due process under the law.

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While the bill pretended to be about enforcing fiscal accountability, it excludes state entities that receive the lion's share of county taxpayer dollars. These state entities annually receive nearly 75% of county taxpayer revenue, including the school system and sheriff's office. This overreaching bill exclusively targets only the 25% of the budget under the County Executive's control, ignoring the majority of county spending.

The bill's sole sponsor, councilman Aaron Penman, has chronically violated ethics rulings as an advocate for the sheriff's office, Penman's employer, and made numerous baseless charges against the administration. Mr. Penman's four-year term is about to expire along with the terms of the entire council.

Commenting on the bill, County Executive Cassilly said:

"My administration welcomes legitimate oversight. We have nothing to fear from an independent, objective examination of our finances, operations, and use of taxpayer dollars. If the council genuinely wants to improve accountability, the next council can develop a balanced, comprehensive law that establishes clear investigative standards, protects due process, prevents politically motivated inquiries, respects the separation of powers, and addresses the appropriate oversight of all entities receiving public funds. "

Bill 26-022 was passed by the County Council on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026.