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A freshman Baltimore County state delegate agreed Monday to a yearlong protective order barring him from contact with his teenage daughter, and later in the day lost his seat on a committee that deals with domestic violence issues.
The 18-year-old daughter of Del. Hasan "Jay" Jalisi had alleged in court papers that her father slapped her during an argument last month. She sought a protective order against him that was granted by District Judge Sally Chester in Towson.
In consenting to the protective order, Jalisi did not admit to wrongdoing and takes "fierce exception" to the accusations, said his attorney, Luiz Simmons, a former delegate from Montgomery County.
Outside the courthouse, Jalisi said contesting the order and disputing details of the argument in court would have been too painful for his family. Jalisi said his daughter "needed some space and I thought it would be better to give her the space she wants than fight it."
"I didn't do anything wrong, I never did, and neither did I agree that I did," Jalisi said. "It was just time to put it behind us."
The daughter's attorney, Alan Silverberg, said she stands by her allegations.
Jalisi is a Democrat who was elected in November to the House of Delegates representing the 10th District in western Baltimore County.
Late Monday, House Speaker Michael E. Busch announced a rare midsession reassignment for Jalisi, moving him off the committee that deals with legal matters, including domestic violence.
"In light of the action taken by the courts today, the sensitive nature of the issues before the House Judiciary Committee and the best interests of the Maryland House of Delegates, Delegate Jay Jalisi has been reassigned to the House Environment & Transportation Committee," Busch said in a statement.
Jalisi could not be reached for comment late Monday. Earlier in the day, he was confident his status on the Judiciary Committee was safe.
"It doesn't affect my position," Jalisi said. "There was no finding of fact. … I was not declared as convicted of anything."
Jalisi's daughter wrote in her application for the protective order that her father slapped her Feb. 21 during the argument. She also accused her father of "verbal harassment, intimidation, persistently following to places or demanding whereabouts, slandering." She did not provide details of any incidents.
Baltimore County police were called to the family's Lutherville home after the argument. No criminal charges were filed.
The order prohibits Jalisi from going into the house where his daughter, son and wife live, though he is allowed to drive to the house to pick up his son. Jalisi also must stay away from the local college his daughter attends.
Jalisi earlier told police he lives during the week at a home in Owings Mills and visited the Lutherville residence on weekends. The Lutherville home is not in his legislative district. The Owings Mills home is in his district.
The judge noted Jalisi's role as a state elected official and said Jalisi's agreeing to consent to the protective order was a positive outcome.
"This is a good result. This is why we put consent in the statute," Chester said.
After Jalisi's daughter was granted a temporary protective order, Jalisi was due in court Mach 2 on a hearing to make it a permanent order. Jalisi was a no-show and his lawyer at the time said the delegate hadn't been served with court papers.
Baltimore Sun reporter Erin Cox contributed to this report.
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