{{Short description|American politician (born 1984)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2026}} {{Use American English|date=April 2025}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Malcolm Ruff | image = Malcolm Ruff Baltiimore 2026.jpg | caption = Ruff in 2026 | state_delegate = Maryland | district = 41st | appointer = Wes Moore | term_start = July 6, 2023 | term_end = | alongside = Sean Stinnett and Samuel I. Rosenberg | predecessor = Tony Bridges | successor = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1984|4|18}} | birth_place = Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. | party = Democratic | spouse = Sydnee | children = 4 | education = | alma_mater = Duke University (BA)<br>University of Baltimore (JD) | occupation = Attorney | website = {{URL|https://malcolmruff.com/|Campaign website}} }}
'''Malcolm Peter Ruff'''<ref name="Martindale">{{cite web |title=Malcolm Peter Ruff |url=https://www.martindale.com/attorney/malcolm-peter-ruff-168911402/ |website=Martindale.com |publisher=Martindale-Hubbell |access-date=June 11, 2023}}</ref> (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.<ref name="Maryland Matters">{{cite news |last1=Kurtz |first1=Josh |title=Baltimore Democrats deadlock, send two names to governor for consideration to fill House vacancy |url=https://www.marylandmatters.org/2023/06/08/baltimore-democrats-deadlock-send-two-names-to-governor-for-consideration-to-fill-house-vacancy/ |access-date=June 11, 2023 |work=Maryland Matters |date=June 8, 2023}}</ref>
==Early life and education== Ruff was born in Baltimore on April 18, 1984.<ref name="Duke" /> He grew up in the Park Heights neighborhood of Baltimore,<ref name="40under40" /> and spent his summers on a small family-owned farm in Harford County, Maryland.<ref name="Nichols">{{cite news |last1=Morales |first1=Maria |title=Harford and Cecil residents call for action, change during Tyre Nichols memorial in Aberdeen |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/harford/aegis/cng-ag-harford-cecil-tyre-nichols-memorial-20230222-z7pmtcx6grh5znfdeinsztw3yy-story.html |access-date=June 11, 2023 |work=The Aegis |date=February 22, 2023}}</ref> Ruff graduated from the Gilman School in 2002, where he was considered a track and football standout.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Graham |first1=Glenn |title=On track for retirement: Curley's Gene Hoffman, Gilman's Johnnie Foreman leave impressive legacies |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/high-school/bs-sp-va-hoffman-foreman-track-20200519-zhoenokn6ffkpakiqxlnj5ghhi-story.html |access-date=June 11, 2023 |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=May 19, 2020}}</ref> He later attended Duke University, where he played for the Duke Blue Devils football team<ref name="Duke">{{cite web |title=Malcolm Ruff |url=https://goduke.com/sports/football/roster/malcolm-ruff/9167 |website=goduke.com |publisher=Duke Blue Devils |access-date=June 11, 2023}}</ref> and earned a bachelor's degree in African and African American studies in 2006.<ref name="Justia" /> Ruff later attended the University of Baltimore School of Law, where he earned a Juris Doctor degree in 2012.<ref name="Justia">{{cite web |title=Malcolm Ruff |url=https://lawyers.justia.com/lawyer/malcolm-ruff-1522799 |website=lawyers.justia.com |publisher=Justia |access-date=June 11, 2023}}</ref> While at the University of Baltimore, he was one of only six students nationwide selected for the NAACP-Kellogg's Law Fellow program.<ref>{{cite news |title=Meet a Student: Malcolm Ruff |url=http://www.ubalt.edu/ubmag/issue75/Alumni_Magazine_Fall_2009.pdf |access-date=June 11, 2023 |work=University of Baltimore Magazine |date=Fall 2009 |page=4}}</ref>
==Legal career== Ruff has been a member of the Maryland Bar since 2012.<ref name="Martindale" /> He began his legal career as an assistant state's attorney in Baltimore and Baltimore County,<ref name="Justia" /> where he prosecuted criminal cases.<ref>{{cite news |title=Malcolm P. Ruff |url=https://thedailyrecord.com/2022/11/30/malcolm-p-ruff/ |access-date=June 11, 2023 |work=The Daily Record |location=Baltimore, Maryland |date=November 30, 2022}}</ref> From 2014 to 2018, he worked as a trial attorney for the Saller & Biship law firm.<ref name="legbio" /> Afterwards, Ruff became a partner at the Murphy, Falcon & Murphy law firm.<ref>{{cite web |title=Malcolm P. Ruff |url=https://www.murphyfalcon.com/our-team/malcolm-p-ruff/ |website=murphyfalcon.com |publisher=Murphy, Falcon & Murphy |access-date=June 11, 2023}}</ref> In this position, he has represented several victims of police brutality and wrongful death matters, including in the cases of Jordan McNair,<ref>{{cite news |title=2 ex-Maryland players reach settlement to football lawsuit |url=https://apnews.com/article/college-football-sports-football-lawsuits-maryland-6eda38f2f7b0e5b35fa902ba06cd7b17 |access-date=May 17, 2026 |work=Associated Press |date=December 17, 2021}}</ref> William Green,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Murphy |first1=Heather |title=$20 Million Settlement Reached in Officer's Fatal Shooting of William Green |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/28/us/william-green-settlement.html |access-date=June 11, 2023 |work=The New York Times |date=September 28, 2020}}</ref> Quinton Burns,<ref>{{cite news |last1=del Valle |first1=Lauren |title=Family sues SeaWorld's Sesame Place Philadelphia for alleged racist interaction |url=https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/27/us/philadelphia-seaworld-sesame-place-suit-reaj/index.html |access-date=June 11, 2023 |work=CNN |date=July 27, 2022}}</ref> Taizier Griffin,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Thompson |first1=Steve |title=Teen shot with Taser along Ocean City boardwalk acquitted of most-serious charges |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/03/11/ocean-city-police-taser/ |access-date=June 11, 2023 |work=The Washington Post |date=March 11, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Prudente |first1=Tim |title=Baltimore attorney Billy Murphy takes case of Black teens violently arrested on Ocean City boardwalk |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/crime/bs-md-ocean-city-arrests-presser-20210629-eruxtqvw2vdxvnacobgvqqlyp4-story.html |access-date=June 11, 2023 |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=June 29, 2021}}</ref> Renardo Green,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Parker |first1=Luke |title=Annapolis seeks to dismiss $75 million wrongful death suit; Renardo Green's family must respond by Wednesday |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/crime/ac-cn-renardo-green-file-to-dismiss-20230213-6bkggmegjnd47hq2ge42x2sf2e-story.html |access-date=June 11, 2023 |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=February 13, 2023}}</ref> Zayne Abdullah,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Anderson |first1=Jessica |title=Baltimore police officer convicted of lying about being spat on before struggle that was captured on viral video |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/crime/bs-md-ci-cr-officer-spitting-conviction-20210914-skbefttrozgrdj44idaxladjgy-story.html |access-date=June 11, 2023 |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=September 14, 2021}}</ref> and Demonte Ward-Blake.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hilton |first1=Jasmine |last2=Mettler |first2=Katie |title=Family of man paralyzed during Md. traffic stop wins $7.5 million |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/03/30/demonte-ward-blake-prince-georges-police-lawsuit-settlement/ |access-date=June 11, 2023 |work=The Washington Post |date=March 31, 2023}}</ref>
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.<ref name="40under40">{{cite news |last1=Iannetta |first1=Jessica |title=40 Under 40 2019: Malcolm Ruff, Murphy, Falcon & Murphy |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/c/meet-the-baltimore-business-journals40-under-40/11121/40-under-40-2019-malcolm-ruff-murphy-falcon-murphy.html |access-date=June 11, 2023 |work=Baltimore Business Journal |date=2019}}</ref>
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".<ref name="Nichols" /><ref>{{cite news |last1=Morgan |first1=Jeff |title=Protests to remain peaceful following release of Nichols' video |url=https://www.wmar2news.com/local/calls-for-change-and-protests-to-remain-peaceful-following-release-of-nichols-video |access-date=June 11, 2023 |work=WMAR-TV |date=January 27, 2023}}</ref>
==Political career== ===Maryland House of Delegates=== [[File:Ruff sworn in.jpg|thumb|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.<ref name="Maryland Matters" /> On June 18, 2023, Moore appointed Ruff to fill the vacancy.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wood |first1=Pamela |title=Gov. Moore appoints Malcolm Ruff to House of Delegates |url=https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/politics-power/state-government/malcolm-ruff-maryland-house-of-delegates-wes-moore-R7MC6YBJVVBONLMKVNH327MHRI/ |access-date=June 18, 2023 |work=The Baltimore Banner |date=June 18, 2023}}</ref> He was sworn in on July 6, 2023.<ref name="legbio">{{cite web |title=Members - Delegate Malcolm P. Ruff |url=https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Members/Details/ruff01 |publisher=Maryland General Assembly |access-date=July 6, 2023 |date=July 6, 2023}}</ref>
House speaker Adrienne A. Jones assigned Ruff to the Appropriations committee<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sears |first1=Bryan |title=House back to full membership after new delegates are sworn in |url=https://www.marylandmatters.org/2023/07/06/house-back-to-full-membership-after-new-delegates-are-sworn-in/ |work=Maryland Matters |access-date=July 8, 2023 |date=July 6, 2023}}</ref> and he is also a member of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland and the Baltimore City Delegation.<ref name="msa" /> 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.<ref>{{cite web |title=HB1358 (2024) |url=https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/hb1358?ys=2024RS&search=True |website=mgaleg.maryland.gov |publisher=Maryland General Assembly |access-date=May 18, 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=GOVERNOR MOORE SIGNS BILL ADVANCING EFFORT FOR STATE-CITY PARTNERSHIP AT GWYNNS FALLS/LEAKIN PARK |url=https://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/Documents/Gwynns-Falls/HB1358-signing-press-release.pdf |website=dnr.maryland.gov |publisher=Maryland Department of Natural Resources |access-date=May 18, 2026}}</ref>{{better source needed|date=May 2026}}
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.<ref name="msa">{{cite web |title=Malcolm P. Ruff, Maryland State Delegate |url=https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/06hse/html/msa18544.html |website=Maryland Manual On-Line |publisher=Maryland State Archives |access-date=May 16, 2026 |date=January 27, 2026}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Petrowich |first1=Sarah |title=Maryland lawmakers on course to ban sale of Glocks and 'machine gun convertible pistols' |url=https://www.wypr.org/wypr-news/2026-04-07/maryland-lawmakers-on-course-to-ban-sale-of-glocks-and-machine-gun-convertible-pistols |access-date=April 8, 2026 |work=WYPR |date=April 7, 2026 |language=en}}</ref>
===2026 Maryland Senate campaign=== [[File:Governor Moore speaks at Malcolm Ruff rally.jpg|thumb|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.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Brown |first1=Danielle J. |last2=Sears |first2=Bryan P. |last3=Kurtz |first3=Josh |title=More legislative seats to fill, more money raised, more excitement over the budget, more notes |url=https://marylandmatters.org/2025/01/20/more-legislative-seats-to-fill-more-money-raised-more-excitement-over-the-budget-more-notes/ |access-date=January 20, 2025 |work=Maryland Matters |date=January 20, 2025}}</ref> Ruff was backed by Carter and Baltimore lawyer Billy Murphy Jr.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Shen |first1=Fern |title=Upset in northwest's 41st District places Dalya Attar over Malcolm Ruff as area's prospective state senator |url=https://www.baltimorebrew.com/2025/01/22/upset-in-northwests-41st-district-places-dayla-attar-over-malcolm-ruff-as-areas-next-state-senator/ |access-date=January 22, 2025 |work=Baltimore Brew |date=January 22, 2025 |language=en-us}}</ref> The Baltimore City Democratic Central Committee voted 5–3 to nominate Dalya Attar to the seat later that month.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wood |first1=Pamela |title=Baltimore Democrats nominate Del. Dalya Attar to the state Senate |url=https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/maryland/dalya-attar-maryland-senate-vacancy-XGHIGIA6QJGEXPZQ37LROCM25U/ |access-date=January 21, 2025 |work=The Baltimore Banner |date=January 21, 2025 |language=en}}</ref> In August 2025, Ruff announced that he would run for the Maryland Senate in District 41, challenging Attar.<ref name="Senate2026">{{cite news |last1=Wood |first1=Pamela |title=Del. Malcolm Ruff will seek West Baltimore state Senate seat |url=https://www.thebanner.com/politics-power/state-government/malcolm-ruff-dalya-attar-senate-VB5W7RQYZFA6RM63TMOEH7B2NQ/ |access-date=August 21, 2025 |work=The Baltimore Banner |date=August 21, 2025 |language=en}}</ref> During the Democratic primary, he received endorsements from Governor Moore,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sears |first1=Bryan P. |last2=William J. |first2=Ford |title=Moore issues scores of endorsements, but some incumbent Democrats miss the cut |url=https://marylandmatters.org/2026/05/08/moore-issues-scores-of-endorsements-but-some-incumbent-democrats-miss-the-cut/ |access-date=March 16, 2026 |work=Maryland Matters |date=May 8, 2026}}</ref> former state senator Jill Carter,<ref name="Senate2026" /> and civil rights attorney Billy Murphy Jr.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ford |first1=William J. |last2=Sears |first2=Bryan P. |title=A fight brews in Baltimore, comparing GOP bona fides, a rare bipartisan agreement, more in notes |url=https://marylandmatters.org/2025/08/22/a-fight-brews-in-baltimore-comparing-gop-bona-fides-a-rare-bipartisan-agreement-more-in-notes/ |access-date=March 16, 2026 |work=Maryland Matters |date=August 22, 2025}}</ref>
==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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Malcolm Ruff |url=https://insideoutinitiative.org/team/malcolm-ruff/ |website=insideoutinitiative.org |publisher=Inside Out Initiative |access-date=June 11, 2023}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{commons category-inline}} * {{cite web |title=Malcolm P. Ruff, Maryland State Delegate |url=https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/06hse/html/msa18544.html |website=Maryland Manual On-Line |publisher=Maryland State Archives |access-date=July 8, 2023 |date=July 7, 2023}}
{{Current members of the MD House of Delegates}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ruff, Malcolm}} Category:1984 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century African-American politicians Category:21st-century American lawyers Category:African-American state legislators in Maryland Category:Democratic Party members of the Maryland House of Delegates Category:Duke University alumni Category:Lawyers from Baltimore Category:Politicians from Baltimore Category:University of Baltimore School of Law alumni Category:Duke Blue Devils football players Category:21st-century African-American lawyers Category:21st-century members of the Maryland General Assembly Category:American athlete-politicians