Montgomery County’s top watchdog says he will step down from his post by the end of the year, punctuating his accusations that County Executive Ike Leggett’s administration interfered with some of his most damning investigations.
Inspector General Thomas Dagley’s surprising announcement comes more than two years before the end of his four-yearterm — and on the heels of claims that executive branch officials hampered his work and shared confidential names from his reports during investigations of their own.
In turn, top members of Leggett’s office denied any interference and countered that Dagley broke local law by making his accusations public without talking to them first.
Dagley said he will resign before the next County Council is sworn in the first week of December.
However, he said Wednesday there is “no cause and effect” between the tiff and his decision to resign.
“The inspector general position is not designed to be career merit,” he told The Washington Examiner. “To maintain objectivity and a strong focus on the county’s higher-risk areas, turnover in the inspector general position every five to six years should be the norm.”
Dagley was appointed to the post in 2005.
Still, he said more needs to be done to ensure the independence of the agency.
“The council should consider amending the inspector general law to strengthen the protection of confidential inspector general records,” he added.
Dagley says the county attorney’s office shared confidential information with police during an investigation of Montgomery’s maligned tuition assistance program. The Washington Examiner first reported about public safety workers who were showered with steep weapon discounts, in addition to other employees who took training seminars at vacation hot spotsas part of the now-shuttered program — ultimately paid for by hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars.
The inspector general also contends there was interference with his investigation into a four-car pileup caused by an intoxicated former assistant county fire chief, and his probe of payments to a child care center for low-income immigrants.
Councilwoman Duchy Trachtenberg, D-at large, expects Dagley to air his complaints with council members in the fall. The Gazette first reported Dagley’s announcement Wednesday.
Leggett’s representatives say he remains baffled by the dispute.
“We’re mystified at the tension because we’ve cooperated with [Dagley] all along,” said spokesman Patrick Lacefield, noting that Leggett, as a former councilman, was the lead sponsor of legislation creating the inspector general’s office.
