BALTIMORE — Baltimore City Inspector General Isabel Mercedes Cumming is taking Mayor Brandon Scott to court over his administration's alleged shielding and withholding of subpoenaed records.
The issue stems from the Office of the Inspector General's ongoing investigation into financial transactions made by the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (MONSE).
When Cumming requested related documents and records, she claims MONSE sent over 200 pages of mostly redacted information.
Scott's team says 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, argues the law doesn't apply to her office considering it's an independent government entity tasked with investigating financial fraud, waste, and abuse.
“The public mandated that they wanted an independent watchdog and the actions that have been taken by the administration have basically made that ineffective," Cumming told WMAR-2 News reporter Blair Sabol.
She notes 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 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.”
Cumming has retained two pro-bono attorneys to take on the case: Mark Stichel and Anthony May.
“This is an excellent team, I mean, top notch ethical attorneys from two very good law firms here in Baltimore," Cumming said.
While the Mayor's Office couldn't clarify why they previously stated it wouldn't be feasible for the Inspector General to pursue legal action, they did provide the statement below in response to the newly filed lawsuit.
“As we have noted from the beginning, the Mayor remains committed to transparency and to an OIG that is both effective and complies with the law. As this matter is now subject to litigation, we will reserve further comment for the appropriate judicial forum. Separate from the litigation, we remain eager for the Law Department to work with the OIG to outline renewed protocols that ensure the Inspector General’s work proceeds uninterrupted, while complying with state law.”
