Scott Administration Seeks Dismissal of Inspector General's Lawsuit

BALTIMORE — The administration of Mayor Brandon Scott is pushing for the dismissal of a lawsuit initiated by the city’s Inspector General, Isabel Cumming, concerning access to information for investigations into potential waste and misconduct.

City Solicitor Ebony Thompson, in a recent court filing, contends that the lawsuit is filled with irrelevant legal references and personal opinions from City Hall, asserting that it fails to present a legitimate claim. Thompson's filing argues that the Office of Inspector General (OIG) lacks the legal authority for unrestricted access to city records.

This legal dispute stems from a change in the interpretation of the Maryland Public Information Act (MPIA) that the Scott administration adopted following an advisory letter from the Office of the Attorney General. The administration has since classified requests for information from the OIG as MPIA requests, leading to the redaction of certain documents. Cumming responded by issuing subpoenas for the records, which were denied, prompting her to file the lawsuit.

In her arguments, Thompson emphasized that the OIG has not pursued traditional avenues to resolve the issues regarding MPIA redactions. She stated that the current case is not merely a dispute over a public information request but rather a claim by the OIG that it operates outside the established transparency laws of Maryland.

As the lawsuit progresses, Mayor Scott has proposed changes to state law aimed at creating exemptions for inspectors general from the MPIA, as well as establishing an oversight role within the OIG to review documents. This proposal aligns with previous bipartisan efforts during the 2026 legislative session, which did not advance.

Previously, a judge declined to remove the OIG’s pro bono attorneys from the case, allowing proceedings to continue. The Scott administration is now seeking to have the lawsuit dismissed entirely, though the timeline for the next court hearing remains uncertain.

Reported by HarborBeat based on WBFF (source).