Malcolm Ruff

Malcolm Ruff
Ruff in 2026
Member of the Maryland House of Delegates
from the 41st district
Incumbent
Assumed office
July 6, 2023
Appointed byWes Moore
Preceded byTony Bridges
Personal details
Born (1984-04-18) April 18, 1984 (age 42)
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
PartyDemocratic
SpouseSydnee
Children4
Duke University (BA)
University of Baltimore (JD)
OccupationAttorney
WebsiteCampaign website

Malcolm Peter Ruff[1] (born April 18, 1984) is an American politician and attorney who has served as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates from District 41 since 2023.

Ruff is a member of the Democratic Party as well as an associate with the law firm Murphy, Falcon & Murphy, which is managed by prominent civil rights attorney Billy Murphy Jr. He has been described as a protégé of Murphy.[2]

Early life and education

Ruff was born in Baltimore on April 18, 1984.[3] He grew up in the Park Heights neighborhood of Baltimore,[4] and spent his summers on a small family-owned farm in Harford County, Maryland.[5] Ruff graduated from the Gilman School in 2002, where he was considered a track and football standout.[6] He later attended Duke University, where he played for the Duke Blue Devils football team[3] and earned a bachelor's degree in African and African American studies in 2006.[7] Ruff later attended the University of Baltimore School of Law, where he earned a Juris Doctor degree in 2012.[7] While at the University of Baltimore, he was one of only six students nationwide selected for the NAACP-Kellogg's Law Fellow program.[8]

Ruff has been a member of the Maryland Bar since 2012.[1] He began his legal career as an assistant state's attorney in Baltimore and Baltimore County,[7] where he prosecuted criminal cases.[9] From 2014 to 2018, he worked as a trial attorney for the Saller & Biship law firm.[10] Afterwards, Ruff became a partner at the Murphy, Falcon & Murphy law firm.[11] In this position, he has represented several victims of police brutality and wrongful death matters, including in the cases of Jordan McNair,[12] William Green,[13] Quinton Burns,[14] Taizier Griffin,[15][16] Renardo Green,[17] Zayne Abdullah,[18] and Demonte Ward-Blake.[19]

Outside of his legal career, Ruff is the founder of the Pagya Project, a non-profit to support residents of underserved communities and to address homelessness and street violence in Baltimore.[4]

In February 2023, Ruff participated in and spoke at a Tyre Nichols protest at Festival Park in Aberdeen, Maryland, where he read a list of names of African Americans killed in police encounters and suggested that police agencies "clean house".[5][20]

Political career

Maryland House of Delegates

Malcolm Ruff, with his family, being sworn in by House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones

In May 2023, following the appointment of state delegate Tony Bridges as the Assistant Secretary for the Maryland Department of Transportation, Ruff applied to fill the vacancy left by his resignation in the Maryland House of Delegates. In June 2023, the Baltimore City Democratic Central Committee voted to send Governor Wes Moore the names of both Ruff and former state delegate Angela Gibson for consideration to fill the vacancy.[2] On June 18, 2023, Moore appointed Ruff to fill the vacancy.[21] He was sworn in on July 6, 2023.[10]

House speaker Adrienne A. Jones assigned Ruff to the Appropriations committee[22] and he is also a member of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland and the Baltimore City Delegation.[23] During the 2024 legislative session Ruff was the chief sponsor of HB 1358, a bill that would create the first ever state park in Baltimore City. Specifically the bill, which was signed into law by the Governor, created a state-city partnership for the preservation of Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park, Baltimore's largest park.[24][25][better source needed]

In January 2026, new Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates Joseline Peña-Melnyk appointed Ruff Chairman of the Capital Budget subcommittee of the Appropriations committee.[23] During the 2026 legislative session, Ruff supported a bill that would ban the sale of firearms that can be converted into automatic firearms through the use of a Glock switch.[26]

2026 Maryland Senate campaign

Governor Moore speaks at Malcolm Ruff rally in Edmondson Village, Baltimore, May 18, 2026.

In January 2025, after state senator Jill P. Carter resigned following her nomination to the Maryland State Board of Contract Appeals, Ruff applied to fill the remainder of Carter's term in the Maryland Senate.[27] Ruff was backed by Carter and Baltimore lawyer Billy Murphy Jr.[28] The Baltimore City Democratic Central Committee voted 5–3 to nominate Dalya Attar to the seat later that month.[29] In August 2025, Ruff announced that he would run for the Maryland Senate in District 41, challenging Attar.[30] During the Democratic primary, he received endorsements from Governor Moore,[31] former state senator Jill Carter,[30] and civil rights attorney Billy Murphy Jr.[32]

Personal life

Ruff lives in Baltimore. He is married to his wife, Sydnee, and has four children. He is a member of the Heritage United Church of Christ.[33]

References

  1. ^ a b "Malcolm Peter Ruff". Martindale.com. Martindale-Hubbell. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  2. ^ a b Kurtz, Josh (June 8, 2023). "Baltimore Democrats deadlock, send two names to governor for consideration to fill House vacancy". Maryland Matters. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  3. ^ a b "Malcolm Ruff". goduke.com. Duke Blue Devils. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  4. ^ a b Iannetta, Jessica (2019). "40 Under 40 2019: Malcolm Ruff, Murphy, Falcon & Murphy". Baltimore Business Journal. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  5. ^ a b Morales, Maria (February 22, 2023). "Harford and Cecil residents call for action, change during Tyre Nichols memorial in Aberdeen". The Aegis. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  6. ^ Graham, Glenn (May 19, 2020). "On track for retirement: Curley's Gene Hoffman, Gilman's Johnnie Foreman leave impressive legacies". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  7. ^ a b c "Malcolm Ruff". lawyers.justia.com. Justia. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  8. ^ "Meet a Student: Malcolm Ruff" (PDF). University of Baltimore Magazine. Fall 2009. p. 4. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  9. ^ "Malcolm P. Ruff". The Daily Record. Baltimore, Maryland. November 30, 2022. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  10. ^ a b "Members - Delegate Malcolm P. Ruff". Maryland General Assembly. July 6, 2023. Retrieved July 6, 2023.
  11. ^ "Malcolm P. Ruff". murphyfalcon.com. Murphy, Falcon & Murphy. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  12. ^ "2 ex-Maryland players reach settlement to football lawsuit". Associated Press. December 17, 2021. Retrieved May 17, 2026.
  13. ^ Murphy, Heather (September 28, 2020). "$20 Million Settlement Reached in Officer's Fatal Shooting of William Green". The New York Times. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  14. ^ del Valle, Lauren (July 27, 2022). "Family sues SeaWorld's Sesame Place Philadelphia for alleged racist interaction". CNN. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  15. ^ Thompson, Steve (March 11, 2022). "Teen shot with Taser along Ocean City boardwalk acquitted of most-serious charges". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  16. ^ Prudente, Tim (June 29, 2021). "Baltimore attorney Billy Murphy takes case of Black teens violently arrested on Ocean City boardwalk". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  17. ^ Parker, Luke (February 13, 2023). "Annapolis seeks to dismiss $75 million wrongful death suit; Renardo Green's family must respond by Wednesday". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  18. ^ Anderson, Jessica (September 14, 2021). "Baltimore police officer convicted of lying about being spat on before struggle that was captured on viral video". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  19. ^ Hilton, Jasmine; Mettler, Katie (March 31, 2023). "Family of man paralyzed during Md. traffic stop wins $7.5 million". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  20. ^ Morgan, Jeff (January 27, 2023). "Protests to remain peaceful following release of Nichols' video". WMAR-TV. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  21. ^ Wood, Pamela (June 18, 2023). "Gov. Moore appoints Malcolm Ruff to House of Delegates". The Baltimore Banner. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  22. ^ Sears, Bryan (July 6, 2023). "House back to full membership after new delegates are sworn in". Maryland Matters. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  23. ^ a b "Malcolm P. Ruff, Maryland State Delegate". Maryland Manual On-Line. Maryland State Archives. January 27, 2026. Retrieved May 16, 2026.
  24. ^ "HB1358 (2024)". mgaleg.maryland.gov. Maryland General Assembly. Retrieved May 18, 2026.
  25. ^ "GOVERNOR MOORE SIGNS BILL ADVANCING EFFORT FOR STATE-CITY PARTNERSHIP AT GWYNNS FALLS/LEAKIN PARK" (PDF). dnr.maryland.gov. Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved May 18, 2026.
  26. ^ Petrowich, Sarah (April 7, 2026). "Maryland lawmakers on course to ban sale of Glocks and 'machine gun convertible pistols'". WYPR. Retrieved April 8, 2026.
  27. ^ Brown, Danielle J.; Sears, Bryan P.; Kurtz, Josh (January 20, 2025). "More legislative seats to fill, more money raised, more excitement over the budget, more notes". Maryland Matters. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  28. ^ Shen, Fern (January 22, 2025). "Upset in northwest's 41st District places Dalya Attar over Malcolm Ruff as area's prospective state senator". Baltimore Brew. Retrieved January 22, 2025.
  29. ^ Wood, Pamela (January 21, 2025). "Baltimore Democrats nominate Del. Dalya Attar to the state Senate". The Baltimore Banner. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
  30. ^ a b Wood, Pamela (August 21, 2025). "Del. Malcolm Ruff will seek West Baltimore state Senate seat". The Baltimore Banner. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  31. ^ Sears, Bryan P.; William J., Ford (May 8, 2026). "Moore issues scores of endorsements, but some incumbent Democrats miss the cut". Maryland Matters. Retrieved March 16, 2026.
  32. ^ Ford, William J.; Sears, Bryan P. (August 22, 2025). "A fight brews in Baltimore, comparing GOP bona fides, a rare bipartisan agreement, more in notes". Maryland Matters. Retrieved March 16, 2026.
  33. ^ "Malcolm Ruff". insideoutinitiative.org. Inside Out Initiative. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  • Wikimedia Commons logo Media related to Malcolm Ruff at Wikimedia Commons
  • "Malcolm P. Ruff, Maryland State Delegate". Maryland Manual On-Line. Maryland State Archives. July 7, 2023. Retrieved July 8, 2023.

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