James E. Malone Jr.

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James Edward Malone Jr.^[1] (July 8, 1957 – December 16, 2024) was an American politician from Maryland and a member of the Democratic Party. He served in the Maryland House of Delegates, representing Maryland's District 12A in Baltimore and Howard Counties from 1995 to 2014. Malone also served as director of the Harford County Department of Parks and Recreation from 2014 to 2016.

Early life and education

Malone was born in Baltimore, Maryland on July 8, 1957, to Margaret Ann Daniels (1933–2021) and James E. Malone (1927–2002), a 34-year railroad worker for the Western Maryland Railroad who served in the Maryland House of Delegates for 12 years and later became the sheriff of Baltimore County.^[2] He is of Irish descent.^[3]

Malone was raised in Arbutus, Maryland.^[4] He graduated from Cardinal Gibbons High School, afterwards attending Catonsville Community College, where he earned an Associate of Arts degree in 1986. After graduating, Malone worked as a firefighter for the Arbutus Volunteer Fire Department, becoming the department's youngest ever president in 1979, and the Baltimore County Fire Department, retiring in March 2007.^[5] Malone later joined the Susquehanna House Company Division 5 after moving to Harford County.^[2]

Maryland House of Delegates

Malone was first elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in 1994, where he represented Baltimore and Howard counties in Maryland Legislative District 12A.^[6] He was a member of the Commerce and Government Matters Committee until 2003, afterwards serving as the vice chair of the House Environmental Matters Committee until his resignation. In the legislature, Malone was known for his work on highway and road safety issues, as well as firefighter safety regulations targeting per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in protective gear. He was also known for prank calling other delegates during floor debates and for "throwing votes" on bills in committee, to the irritation of committee chair John F. Wood Jr.^[2]

At the time of his election, Malone was a lieutenant in the Baltimore County fire marshal's office and an assistant state fire marshal. In December 1994, Maryland Assistant Attorney General Robert A. Zarnoch wrote to Malone informing him that he could not be a firefighter and a member of the House of Delegates at the same time, saying that a county firefighter was an "office of profit" under the Constitution of Maryland.^[7] Malone was allowed to continue working as a firefighter after Baltimore County stripped Malone of his ability to write citations by moving him to a supervisory position.^[8]

Malone resigned from the House of Delegates on November 30, 2014, after Republican Harford County Executive Barry Glassman appointed him as the director of the Harford County Department of Parks and Recreation.^[9] He resigned from this position in April 2016.^[10]

Personal life and death

Malone was married to his wife, Darlene. Together, they had two children, James Malone III and Danica Crum.^[2]

Malone was a leukemia survivor.^[3] He moved in 2014 to live in Havre de Grace, Maryland,^[2] where he died from brain cancer on December 16, 2024, at the age of 67.^[3]