County Commissioner, Judge and Former County Attorney included in Lawsuit’s Expanded Allegations of Corruption in Washington County

According to a legal filing recently obtained by Radio Free Hub City, a newly amended lawsuit filed by Washington County resident Justin Holder, represented by Adam D. Greivell, Esq., an attorney with Greivell & Garrott Johnson, LLC who yesterday resigned from the Washington County Republican Central Committee, has significantly broadened the scope of allegations against local government officials, state agencies, and private individuals, intensifying an already complex legal battle. The revised complaint, now over 300 pages long, accuses the Mayor and Council of Keedysville, multiple Maryland state agencies, and various private citizens of a coordinated effort to defame, harass, and obstruct Holder’s property rights and legal actions. The case, which initially centered on disputes over land use, easements, and municipal services, now includes claims of government corruption, selective enforcement, legal obstruction, and racketeering.

DISCLAIMER: This article is a summary of allegations contained in a publicly available court filing. These allegations have not been proven in a court of law. All individuals and entities mentioned are presumed innocent until proven guilty through due legal process. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or factual conclusions.

The complaint names a growing list of defendants, including Mayor Kenneth Lord, the Keedysville Town Council, town officials Christine and Scott Morral, Benjamin Estes, and influential local figures such as Frederic M. Frederick of Frederick, Seibert & Associates. New additions to the lawsuit include Kevin Tucker, the Clerk of the Circuit Court for Washington County, and Judge Mark D. Thomas. Holder alleges that these judicial and administrative figures actively participated in obstructing his ability to seek legal remedies by manipulating court records, blocking access to filings, and engaging in biased rulings that favored his adversaries.

At the core of the lawsuit is an escalating dispute over Holder’s property rights in Keedysville, where he claims town officials and their associates have engaged in a years-long campaign to prevent him from developing his land. The complaint details alleged efforts by Mayor Lord and other town officials to misrepresent the status of key roads and easements, deny him access to municipal water and sewer services, and use local ordinances to selectively target him while granting exemptions to others. According to Holder, these actions were not random but part of an orchestrated scheme to protect politically connected individuals and suppress his rights.

The lawsuit also accuses officials of suppressing public records requests and intentionally misinforming county and state agencies about the legal status of his property. Holder claims that government actors engaged in retaliatory actions after he attempted to expose misconduct, including filing complaints and seeking legal intervention. Among the more serious allegations, the complaint states that Keedysville officials falsely accused him of trespassing, defamation, and environmental violations to justify legal actions aimed at financially crippling him and blocking his property development plans.

Holder’s claims extend beyond local government, implicating the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) in what he describes as a politically motivated failure to enforce environmental laws. The complaint alleges that while these agencies turned a blind eye to violations committed by Keedysville officials and private landowners, they actively obstructed Holder’s attempts to comply with regulations, selectively enforcing rules against him while ignoring similar or more severe infractions by others. Holder argues that this selective enforcement was designed to drive him off his property and discourage further legal action against town officials.

One of the most interesting parts of the complaint is the claim that the defendants engaged in racketeering activities under the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). Holder alleges that a coordinated network of town officials, state employees, and private individuals engaged in fraud, obstruction of justice, and extortion, all aimed at depriving him of his property and financial resources. He claims that municipal officials manipulated tax records, water and sewer access, and property deeds to benefit allies while harming his interests. The RICO allegations suggest a broad and systematic abuse of power, extending beyond simple legal disputes to encompass potential criminal behavior.

The lawsuit also introduces claims of illegal surveillance, invasion of privacy, and wiretapping. Holder accuses Christine Morral and other defendants of unlawfully recording private conversations and distributing them in an effort to damage his reputation. These recordings, he argues, were not only obtained illegally but were also shared with law enforcement and judicial officials to manufacture false narratives and justify legal actions against him. Holder contends that these efforts were part of a larger conspiracy to isolate him from legal and financial support while misleading courts and government agencies about the facts of his case.

The amended complaint includes allegations involving Jeff Cline, a Washington County Commissioner. Cline is not accused of any direct wrongdoing in the allegations, and is not named as a defendant. According to the lawsuit, in December 2019 or January 2020, then-Vice Mayor of Keedysville, Barry Levey, allegedly informed the plaintiff, Justin Holder, that Cline’s brother, Robert, was implicated in a financial controversy in which $5,000 had gone missing from the Boonsboro First Christian Church. Levey reportedly conveyed that if Holder were to make the issue “go away” by supplying the church with $5,000, Cline could use his position to resolve Holder’s ongoing sewer access issues. The complaint further alleges that Austin Flook made statements that Cline and Levey “work for him” and that Cline would use his authority to assert control over county decisions in a manner favorable to Flook’s interests​. As Cline was not directly involved in statements to the plaintiff, it is unknown if Flook has this type of influence.

The amended complaint also alleges that a “pay-to-play” scheme was orchestrated by local government officials and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) to pressure property owners into acknowledging state ownership of a disputed rail-bed in exchange for building permits and subdivision approvals. According to the lawsuit, this alleged quid pro quo arrangement, memorialized in a March 4, 1999, letter from the Maryland Attorney General’s Office, required property owners to accept state claims over private land to receive essential services like drinking water and sewer access. Justin Holder, the plaintiff, argues that this scheme amounted to extortion, as it effectively withheld critical infrastructure from landowners unless they conceded to the state’s demands. Holder further alleges that Washington County and MDNR officials deliberately delayed or denied his public records requests related to this scheme, engaging in a “crystallized policy” of obstruction to conceal the practice​.

Allegations in the complaint name Kirk Downey during his time as Washington County Attorney, primarily concerning failures to comply with Maryland Public Information Act (MPIA) requests. The lawsuit claims that Downey and Washington County engaged in a “crystallized policy” of delaying or denying public record requests without legitimate justification, allegedly to obstruct Holder’s ability to access documents related to county decisions and agreements. The complaint accuses Downey of knowingly and willfully failing to produce requested records within the legally mandated timeframe, despite acknowledging that the documents were permanently retained. Additionally, Holder alleges that Downey participated in efforts to withhold key public records related to environmental matters and governmental agreements, further complicating his legal efforts to challenge the actions of local and state agencies​. Downey has since left his position with the County government, and is now a Maryland Circuit Court Judge.

Editor’s note: RFHC has experienced our own issues with obtaining public records while Mr. Downey was County Attorney, including difficulty in obtaining records related to the county’s 2022 ransomware incident. Since Mr. Downey’s departure, we have been much more successful in retrieving records in a timely manner, including records originally sought while Mr. Downey was County Attorney. This note is not included to confirm or deny Mr. Holder’s accusations, but to fully disclose our own issues with Mr. Downey in case of any unintentional bias.

The complaint further details a pattern of alleged malicious prosecution, arguing that local officials and their allies used legal proceedings as a weapon to silence and financially drain him. Holder claims that multiple false criminal complaints were filed against him, including accusations of trespassing and property damage, all of which were either dismissed or resolved in his favor. Despite this, he argues that town officials continued their campaign of retaliation, using legal harassment as a means of coercion and intimidation.

Holder is seeking financial damages, punitive action against the defendants, and court orders preventing further violations of his rights. His lawsuit demands accountability not only from Keedysville officials but also from state agencies and the judicial system, arguing that their actions—or inactions—have enabled ongoing abuse of power. The case, now more complex than ever, is expected to proceed through the Maryland courts, where it could have significant implications for government transparency, property rights, and the accountability of local officials.

If the lawsuit proceeds, it could set a precedent for how municipal governments interact with private property owners and enforce regulations. The inclusion of RICO allegations, wiretapping claims, and judicial misconduct accusations elevates the stakes, potentially leading to further legal scrutiny of Keedysville and Washington County governments and their relationship with state agencies. If Holder’s allegations are substantiated, the lawsuit could prompt broader investigations into local government conduct and its treatment of private landowners. For now, the case continues to unfold in court, with potential ramifications reaching far beyond Keedysville.

Article by multiple RFHC contributors.

Associated documents for this story are available in our Public Information Archive.

DISCLAIMER: This article is a summary of allegations contained in a publicly available court filing. These allegations have not been proven in a court of law. All individuals and entities mentioned are presumed innocent until proven guilty through due legal process. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or factual conclusions.

BIAS DISCLAIMER: RFHC has previously encountered issues with MPIA requests involving Mr. Kirk Downey, and while no bias is intended, a statement as such is included for full disclosure of any potential unintentional bias in this article. RFHC has no influential ties regarding any other named parties in this article.

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