Politics
Baltimore watchdog says 67 records requests still await production despite restored system access
Mayor Brandon Scott’s office says the Inspector General can directly access subpoenaed documents, but Inspector General Isabel Cumming says about 67 requests remain unfulfilled ahead of a Nov. 5 court deadline. The disagreement highlights the distinction between access to city systems and delivery of specific records.
Baltimore’s mayoral administration says the city’s inspector general can directly access documents sought in outstanding subpoenas, while Inspector General Isabel Cumming says her office still has not received records tied to about 67 requests.
The dispute over what counts as access—and what counts as producing records—comes as the city faces a court-ordered Nov. 5 deadline to respond to subpoenas issued in 2025 and 2026. The records are sought by the Office of the Inspector General, which investigates allegations of fraud, waste and abuse in city government.
“By virtue of their restored access, the OIG has direct access to the documents that were requested in these subpoenas,” the Mayor’s Office said in a statement. It said the city would continue to comply with the law and work with the watchdog and its lawyers.
Cumming has said the office has not received the subpoenaed documents. She told local television station FOX45 that about 67 requests remain outstanding. The two accounts appear to differ over whether restored access to city systems is equivalent to the city providing the specific records requested.
The confrontation follows a months-long legal fight that began after the inspector general’s access to some city systems was cut off in January. The Scott administration cited concerns about attorney-client privilege and other protected information; the OIG argued that limits on access hindered its investigations.
In September, Baltimore Circuit Court Judge Pamela White ordered the city to restore the watchdog’s previous system permissions and respond to its outstanding subpoenas. The city appealed, and the underlying case remains pending.
The OIG later withdrew a request asking the court to hold the city in civil contempt, after saying it believed access had been restored. The withdrawal was without prejudice, allowing the office to return to court if it concludes the city has not complied. Cumming has said the office could revive the contempt issue if the city misses the Nov. 5 production deadline.
The Appellate Court of Maryland rejected the city’s request for a protective order restricting the OIG’s access. It also reiterated that the watchdog may not use its access to view attorney-client communications or work product prepared for the ongoing litigation.
Cumming said the OIG received about 200 pages of redacted documents concerning nonprofit invoices, but the records remain redacted. She has argued the invoices are not protected by attorney-client privilege.
The office has eight investigators and 41 pending investigations, Cumming said. She said it narrowed its records requests to focus on current investigations and continues to accept public complaints, prioritizing them according to their potential impact.