Overview
- Inspector General Isabel Mercedes Cumming won board approval to retain pro bono counsel to enforce subpoenas for unredacted city records.
- Cumming says her office received hundreds of redacted financial documents and is seeking unredacted financial and payroll records tied to third‑party contract payments.
- Attorney General Anthony Brown said the document Baltimore cited was an advice letter, not a formal opinion, and described it as boilerplate guidance on the Public Information Act.
- Mayor Brandon Scott’s administration has limited the IG’s direct access to protected records, citing attorney‑client and other legal privileges and compliance with state law.
- Cumming contends the new restrictions would have prevented about 104 of 324 investigations conducted during her tenure, and she plans to pursue court enforcement of outstanding subpoenas.