Baltimore Inspector General obtains records previously allegedly shielded by mayor

BALTIMORE, Md. — A year after the documents were requested, Baltimore City Inspector General Isabel Mercedes Cumming announced her office has now obtained subpoenaed records that were previously allegedly withheld by the mayor.

WMAR-2 News reported in Feb. that Cumming was taking Mayor Brandon Scott to court over his administration's alleged shielding and withholding of subpoenaed records.

The issue stemmed from the Office of the Inspector General's investigation into financial transactions made by the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (MONSE).

When Cumming requested related documents and records back in Oct., she claims MONSE sent over 200 pages of mostly redacted information in Jan.

Watch previous: Baltimore Inspector General sues Mayor over redacted records

Scott's team previously said they're protecting client privilege and following Maryland's Public Information Act laws, which exempts sensitive data like medical and financial records from being disclosed.

Cumming, however, argued the law doesn't apply to her office considering it's an independent government entity tasked with investigating financial fraud, waste, and abuse.

She noted in court filings how the City's provided access to similar information requests dating back to 2018.

“I’ve been the inspector general for 8 years, this is a first," Cumming said in Feb. "In June 2025, the City suddenly departed from its longstanding practice of cooperating with the OIG. My goal in this lawsuit is to merely require the City to do what it has done since I took office – provide the OIG with the information it needs to ensure taxpayer dollars aren’t being wasted by government officials.”

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