Prince George’s planning chair Darryl Barnes faces a slew of misconduct allegations

Added: 2026-05-20

[00:00:00]There's a lot to unpack here, but the chair of the Prince George's County Planning Board is facing allegations that he pushed the Planning Commission to hire his sister, promoted members of his business network for government contracts, and requested that the commission purchase $45,000 box seats at Capital One Arena, among other things, according to an 11-page complaint reviewed by the Banner. The complaint filed in February also states that the chair, Daryl Barnes, a former Maryland delegate, asked the Maryland National Capital Planning and Park Commission to cover his private social club dues, and assign a park police officer as his personal bodyguard and driver, among other misconduct allegations, dating back to his appointment in July of 2025.

[00:00:38]He also wanted a personal vehicle from the commission's fleet, but wasn't fond of the available options, so he requested that the commission purchase an SUV worth $100,000, according to the complaint. Barnes, in a statement from his attorney, denied the allegations and disputed the accuracy, completeness, and characterization of the accounts in the complaint. The confidential complaint was filed by Deborah Boardman, who is on extended leave from her job as the chief legal officer for the agency that oversees parks and planning in Prince George's County and Montgomery County.

[00:01:07]Boardman has alleged that Barnes retaliated after she raised legal and ethical concerns about his conduct by threatening to have her fired, a move that requires approval from the Prince George's and Montgomery County Planning Boards. The commission has hired an outside law firm to investigate the allegations. You can get more on this story and the updates on the banner.com.