Mayor Scott Addresses Transparency Issues with Inspector General's Office

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott is facing scrutiny over recent decisions that have restricted the Office of the Inspector General's (OIG) access to certain city documents. This move has raised significant transparency concerns within City Hall.

During a winter storm, the Mayor announced that the Office of Information and Technology would be cutting off the OIG's access to documents from the Law Department, citing the need to protect attorney-client privilege. This decision was made in compliance with the Maryland Rules of Professional Conduct, which mandates confidentiality for communications between lawyers and their clients.

Isabel Cumming, the city’s Inspector General, has expressed strong objections to this change, arguing that it could impede ongoing investigations. She noted that the OIG and the Law Department function as one entity and questioned the applicability of attorney-client privilege in this context. Cumming criticized the timing of the announcement, stating that she learned about the policy shift from a reporter.

When questioned about the decision, Mayor Scott explained that an attorney from the Health Department raised concerns about unauthorized access to sensitive documents. He defended the action by stating that no attorney would allow unrestricted access to their clients' information.

In addition to the access restrictions, Cumming has faced challenges in obtaining financial information from another city agency. After issuing a subpoena, she received documents that were heavily redacted, leaving her with little useful information for her investigation.

Mayor Scott justified the redactions by citing the need to protect juvenile and personal financial data, stating that sharing such information is prohibited by state law.

The transparency issues surrounding the OIG come at a time when Mayor Scott is also dealing with challenges from Baltimore’s City State’s Attorney, Ivan Bates. Bates has severed ties with the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (MONSE), citing concerns over information sharing that could jeopardize criminal cases.

Bates has initiated an independent legal review of these concerns, which supported his decision to cut ties. In response, Mayor Scott launched his own review, which concluded that Bates' claims were not legally justified.

Despite the ongoing disputes, Mayor Scott remains confident that his initiatives will continue without interruption, asserting that political motivations are at play in the State’s Attorney's decision to withdraw from the coalition.

Reported by HarborBeat based on WBFF (source).