Penman to return to Harford Council more than year after wrongful removal

A judge Friday ordered Aaron Penman reinstated to the Harford County Council seat he was ousted from more than a year ago.

Harford County Circuit Court Judge W. Michel Pierson issued the order in favor of Penman, a Republican, and Harford County Sheriff’s deputy who was elected to the council in 2022.

The judge’s written decision followed a nearly 30-minute hearing punctuated by tense exchanges between Pierson and Harford County Attorney Jefferson Blomquist.

“Since I concluded he [Penman] did not resign voluntarily — this was the essence of the county’s opposition to the motion — I believe that it is appropriate now that Judge [Richard S.] Bernhardt’s conclusion has been reversed, has been vacated, that is appropriate as a matter of relief to restore him to that position,” Pierson said, speaking from the bench Friday morning.

Pierson signaled his intent to reinstate Penman but it did not become effective until a written order was issued hours later.

“I look forward to getting back to the council,” Penman said outside Bel Air courtroom. “I look forward to finishing what I started and getting back to work.”

The order removes Alison Imhoff, who had replaced Penman on the council, to reseat him.

Penman could rejoin the council immediately. Even so, the county said Friday morning that it intends to appeal the decision and ask for a stay of Pierson’s order.

Blomquist asked the judge for such a delay in court Friday morning. Pierson said he would require a written motion.

Such a motion or an appeal would prevent Penman from returning to office. Only a judge’s order could legally delay that now.

Penman was removed nearly 18 months ago after Harford County Executive Bob Cassilly (R) challenged the deputy’s eligibility to serve.

The case was seen as an extension of an intraparty spat between Cassilly and Harford County Sheriff Jeff Gahler and a related dispute between the executive and the Republican-controlled council.

Penman was the second county legislator Cassilly tried to block from serving in the current term. In both cases, the executive argued the councilmember had to give up their their county job — the other targeted councilmember was a county middle school teacher — or their council seat.

In both cases, Cassilly won at the circuit court level with the same judge, Bernhardt, presiding over both cases. Those cases were later overturned on appeal.

In May, Pierson — acting on the decision of the Appellate Court of Maryland — vacated the order against Penman. He delayed a decision on returning Penman to the council in order to give Imhoff an opportunity to decide if she wanted to challenge her removal.

Imhoff, in an affidavit, told the judge she accepted that Penman was wrongfully removed and said she would not block the return of an official who had been duly elected.

The delay in resolving Penman’s appeal forced the deputy to withdraw from a reelection bid. Imhoff, who was in the seat, also filed for the 2026 election. Penman withdrew and endorsed Imhoff.

Imhoff will not challenge Penman’s request to be reseated on the Harford Council

Blomquist, over the last two hearings, continued to throw sand into the  legal gears in order to thwart Penman.

The attorney challenged assertions that Penman was removed, instead arguing that Penman resigned. He also challenged, unsuccessfully, letters to Penman from the council’s attorney informing him that he had been removed from office as a result of a court order.

Blomquist also argued that Penman’s complaint and appeal never asked for reinstatement.

“This court has no jurisdiction to order him back into office,” Blomquist said.

That touched off a series of tense exchanges in which Blomquist first refused to answer Pieron who laid out what the county attorney called a “hypothetical.”

“It sounds to me like I’m not going to get anything helpful.” Pierson said to Blomquist as the attorney sat down.

But just as Pierson started into the preamble of his decision, Blomquist was out of his seat interrupting the judge.

“What are you standing for?” Pierson asked as Blomquist began to challenge part of the judge’s decision in court.

Blomquist then attempted to “reassert” that Penman had resigned.

“That’s not what your paper says,” Pierson replied. “Your paper says he resigned.”

“That’s why I am making a clarification,” Blomquist told the judge.

“This is not a rolling dialogue,” Pierson said. “I’m ruling on a motion.”

Pierson also dismissed a late-filed motion by Blomquist to add the Harford County Republican Central Committee to the case. Pierson said he didn’t find adding the committee to the case appropriate or necessary.

For a time, as Pierson continued with his ruling in court, Blomquist sat at the table, turning a pen between his index finger and thumb. With each half revolution, the end of the pen would tap the file folder of papers that lay before him.

Blomquist later asked Pierson for a stay of the order. Pierson delayed consideration, saying the attorney needed to file a formal motion on paper. The attorney said the county would likely appeal Penman being reseated on the council.

Penman’s attorney, Joseph Snee, opposed the motion noting Penman had been off the council “nearly 600 days.”

“Justice delayed is justice denied,” Snee told the judge. “And that’s what we’ve had here — delay after delay after delay. It’s time to restore Sgt. Penman to his rightful position.”