James E. Malone Jr.

James E. Malone Jr.
Malone in 2007
Member of the Maryland House of Delegates
from the 12th district
In office
January 11, 1995 – November 30, 2014
Preceded byThomas E. Dewberry
Kenneth H. Masters
Louis P. Morsberger
Succeeded byEric Ebersole
Terri Hill
Clarence Lam
Personal details
Born(1957-07-08)July 8, 1957
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
DiedDecember 16, 2024(2024-12-16) (aged 67)
Havre de Grace, Maryland, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseDarlene
Children2
Parent
  • James E. Malone (father)
EducationCommunity College of Baltimore County (AA)
OccupationFirefighter

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]

Electoral history

Maryland House of Delegates District 12A election, 1994[6]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Donald E. Murphy 10,340 27.1
Democratic James E. Malone Jr. 9,712 25.4
Republican Donald Drehoff 9,596 25.1
Democratic Kenneth H. Masters (incumbent) 8,527 22.3
Maryland House of Delegates District 12A election, 1998[11]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic James E. Malone Jr. (incumbent) 13,222 31.4
Republican Donald E. Murphy (incumbent) 10,920 26.0
Democratic Steven J. DeBoy Sr. 10,669 25.4
Republican Loyd V. Smith 7,245 17.2
Maryland House of Delegates District 12A election, 2002[12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic James E. Malone Jr. (incumbent) 15,615 31.8
Democratic Steven J. DeBoy Sr. 12,376 25.2
Republican Joe Hooe 11,193 22.8
Republican Harry Korrell 9,875 20.1
Write-in 24 0.1
Maryland House of Delegates District 12A election, 2006[13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic James E. Malone Jr. (incumbent) 15,130 30.6
Democratic Steven J. DeBoy Sr. (incumbent) 13,929 28.1
Republican Joe Hooe 11,141 22.5
Republican Albert L. Nalley 9,286 18.8
Write-in 28 0.1
Maryland House of Delegates District 12A election, 2010[14]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic James E. Malone Jr. (incumbent) 14,109 28.3
Democratic Steven J. DeBoy Sr. (incumbent) 13,011 26.1
Republican Joseph D."Joe" Hooe 12,327 24.7
Republican Albert L. Nalley 10,453 20.9
Write-in 32 0.1

References

  1. ^ "James Edward Malone, Jr. Obituary 2024". Ambrose Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Inc. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e Sears, Bryan P. (December 17, 2024). "Former Baltimore County Del. Jim Malone dies at 67". Maryland Matters. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c Harris, Cayla (December 17, 2024). "James Malone Jr., former state delegate and firefighter, dies at 67". The Baltimore Banner. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
  4. ^ Kelly, Jacques (December 22, 2024). "James E. 'Jimmy' Malone, former state delegate and highway safety advocate, dies". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
  5. ^ "James E. Malone, Jr., Maryland State Delegate". Maryland Manual On-Line. Maryland State Archives. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  6. ^ a b "1994 Gubernatorial General Election Results". elections.maryland.gov. Maryland State Board of Elections. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  7. ^ Carson, Larry (December 28, 1994). "New delegate is told he may not hold both firefighter and State House jobs". The Baltimore Sun. p. 70. Retrieved December 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Carson, Larry (January 7, 1995). "Malone can keep job as firefighter". The Baltimore Sun. pp. 11 and 22. Retrieved December 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Loricchio, Lauren (December 3, 2014). "Del. James Malone resigns to take post in Harford County". The Baltimore Sun. p. T8. Retrieved December 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ Zumer, Bryna (April 20, 2016). "Parks and rec director Malone resigns". The Aegis. p. 6. Retrieved December 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "1998 Gubernatorial General Election Resuults". elections.maryland.gov. Maryland State Board of Elections. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  12. ^ "2002 Gubernatorial General – Official Results". elections.maryland.gov. Maryland State Board of Elections. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  13. ^ "Official 2006 Gubernatorial General Election results for Legislative District 12A". Maryland State Board of Elections.
  14. ^ "Official 2010 Gubernatorial General Election results for House of Delegates". Maryland State Board of Elections.