By: Adam Reuter
In investigative journalism, you follow the money. Sometimes, the names distract you.
We recently reported on a connection between Councilman Izzy Patoka’s Chief of Staff, Justin Silberman, and a major campaign donor, Michael Silberman. Justin Silberman has since clarified that they are not related. We accept that correction.
But while the family tree might be separate, the money trail leads to the exact same place: A $6,000 check hidden behind a Virginia address.
The “Shell Game” Remains The scandal isn’t about who is related to whom. It is about who is paying for access. On March 27, 2025, a mysterious entity called “Recover180Virginia, LLC” wrote a check for $6,000.00—the legal maximum—to Izzy Patoka’s campaign.
Why is a Virginia LLC maxing out to a Towson Councilman? Because “Recover180Virginia” is a front. The address attached to the check (6791 James Madison Highway) belongs to a CARF-accredited addiction treatment facility owned by Michael Silberman, a major player in the Maryland rehab industry.
The “Zoning” Tax Michael Silberman operates rehab centers and detox facilities in Maryland. These businesses live and die by County Zoning. You can’t open a treatment center in a residential neighborhood without a “Special Exception.” Who approves those exceptions? The County Council.
If Michael Silberman donated as “Recovery 180 Maryland,” every neighborhood association in Pikesville would be on high alert. So instead, he used a Virginia LLC. It looks like a generic out-of-state business. It hides the industry. It hides the intent.
The $1.4 Million Fortress Izzy Patoka is now sitting on $1.43 million in campaign cash. He didn’t get there by selling cookies. He got there by taking checks from:
- The Paving Cartel: Gray & Son (who profit from the traffic you sit in).
- The Towing Lobby: Pollard’s Towing (who profit when your car is hooked).
- The Rehab Industry: Recovery 180 (who profit from zoning variances).
The Bottom Line
The fact that Patoka’s Chief of Staff shares a last name with the donor might be a cosmic coincidence. But the $6,000 check is a calculated business decision.
A Maryland rehab operator used an out-of-state shell company to max out to the one politician who controls his ability to expand. That isn’t a family affair. That’s just business as usual in Baltimore County.
Source Citations:
- Recover180Virginia Donation ($6,000): Izzy Patoka 2026 Annual Report, Schedule 1.
- Paving/Towing Donations: Izzy Patoka 2026 Annual Report, Schedule 1 (Gray & Son, Pollard’s).
- Cash on Hand ($1.43M): Izzy Patoka 2026 Annual Report, Summary Page.
