Harford Co. Executive Cassilly, Councilman Penman Trade New Accusations Over Ethics

HARFORD COUNTY, MD — Questions about the approval of a real estate plat has sparked another public spat for two Harford County officials, and asked the Maryland attorney general's office to help settle a simmering question.

Harford County Executive Bob Cassilly said he was recently accused by Councilman Aaron Penman of signing a real estate plat submitted on behalf of a Cassilly family member. Cassilly said in a news release that he did not review or sign the plat. Once a plat meets all regulations and is approved by county departments, the county executive or a designee must sign it, which is required by Harford County Code.

Because this plat involved a family member, it was not reviewed by Cassilly, he said. Instead, it was reviewed and signed on his behalf by the director of administration.

"The plat document clearly shows the director’s same handwriting on two signature lines – once on the line for himself as director and again on the line below for the county executive, properly followed by the director’s initials," Cassilly's news release said.

Patch left a message for Penman seeking comment, but has not yet received a response. This story will be updated when we hear from him.

On Monday, Harford County Attorney Jefferson Blomquist requested an advisory opinion from the Board of Ethics on potential conflicts of interest for Penman, whose legislative duties include voting on the budget for his employer. Penman works for the Harford County Sheriff’s Office.

Blomquist wants the state attorney general's office to determine whether Penman should remain in office but be unable to vote on the county budget or be prevented from voting on the sheriff's office budget only.

Related:

• County Exec Cassilly Tries To Oust Sheriff's Deputy From Council Seat
• County Council President Rejects Executive's Request To Remove Member

Penman has come under fire for working as a sheriff's deputy and serving as a county councilmember with other county leaders saying it presents a conflict of interest and violation of ethics.

"His dual employment as a Harford County councilmember and a deputy sheriff violates Section 207 of the Harford County Charter, which prohibits council members from also serving as employees of the state or county governments. The office of the Harford County sheriff is a state office," Cassilly wrote in a letter in October 2023. "I therefore call upon the County Council to take immediate action to remove Councilman Penman from his membership on the Harford County Council, as he no longer meets the requirements for that public office."

Cassilly claimed Councilman Jacob Bennett was ineligible to serve on the council because he is a teacher for Harford County Public Schools. Bennett's case went all the way to the Maryland Supreme Court, which ruled Bennett could serve on the council.

"(Section 207) does not preclude a teacher employed by the Harford County Board of Education from simultaneously serving as a member of the Harford County Council," the ruling said.

The court's opinion in Bennett's case included the sheriff's office as an exception to the rule.

"Among the non-county agencies that receive funding from the county, as approved by the council, are the sheriff and sheriff's office, the Harford County Health Department, Circuit Court personnel, State's Attorney's Office personnel and the Harford Soil Conservation District," the court's opinion stated.

This incident is just the latest in a string of issues arising between Harford County leaders.

In August 2023, the Harford County Sheriff's Office said it would investigate a complaint made that the county executive violated Maryland's wiretap statute by illegally intercepting electronic communications. Allegations made by Penman that millions in county money had been misappropriated were investigated by Harford County Executive Bob Cassilly's office, and the executive said there was no basis for the accusation.

As part of the investigation, county phone and computer records were searched. Cassilly’s access to emails from Penman, Harford County Sheriff Jeff Gahler and others were at the heart of the matter. The issue eventually was turned over to the Office of the State Prosecutor out of concern about potential conflicts of interest.

In September 2023, Harford County State's Attorney Alison Healey announced she would seek a judge's order requiring Cassilly’s administration to provide access to emails of a key employee who was on emergency family leave. Healey that she also planned to ask for “millions of dollars” to be used to move her office’s email system off the Harford County system.

Healey said at the time that she believed Cassilly and Harford County Attorney Jefferson Blomquist refused to grant access to the emails "in retaliation for my referral of a recent investigation into their conduct,” she said.

Related:

• Harford Co. State's Attorney Goes After County Executive Over Emails
• Claims Of Wiretapping By Cassilly, Misuse Of Funds Disputed: Sheriff