Baltimore Inspector General Seeks Charter Amendment for Record Access

Supporters of Baltimore's Inspector General, Isabel Cumming, gathered at a city council meeting to advocate for a charter amendment aimed at granting her independent access to city records. This move comes in the wake of tensions between Cumming and Mayor Brandon Scott regarding access to financial documents related to a fraud investigation into the now-defunct SideStep youth violence prevention program.

During a hearing held by the city council's charter review committee, Cumming, representatives from the city's law department, and members of the public provided testimony on the proposed amendment. The amendment would designate the inspector general as a co-custodian of records, allowing her to bypass current limitations imposed by the Law Department.

Councilmember Mark Conway, who is sponsoring the amendment, expressed concern over potential conflicts of interest within the Law Department, which he argued is effectively representing the mayor's office in legal matters. Conway emphasized the need for an independent inspector general to ensure transparency and accountability in city operations.

In response, attorney Jeff Hochstetler, representing the Law Department, countered that the current charter does not prevent access to records and that state law, including the Maryland Public Information Act (PIA), governs such access. He cautioned that the proposed amendment could violate state law by circumventing required confidentiality protections.

The conflict escalated when Cumming revealed that significant portions of financial records she requested were redacted, hindering her investigation into the alleged fraud. While Mayor Scott defended his administration's transparency, presenting unredacted documents to the public, Cumming maintained that the lack of access to financial records obstructs her office's ability to conduct thorough investigations.

Cumming warned that without the proposed changes, her office's independence and effectiveness would be compromised. She stated, "The people gave this office the ability to bring a report against any elected official. Now, how am I going to do that?" The city council committee did not reach a decision on the amendment during the hearing.

Reported by HarborBeat based on CBS News (source).