The departures include Secretary of State Susan Lee, Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services Secretary Carolyn Scruggs, and Veterans and Military Affairs Secretary Ed Rothstein. The moves come three days after Moore won reelection and one day after he announced a new chief of staff, part of a broader leadership reshuffle typical for two-term governors.

“Secretary Susan Lee, Secretary Carolyn Scruggs, and Secretary Ed Rothstein have devoted decades of faithful and exemplary service to the people of Maryland,” Moore said in a statement. “Our state has greatly benefited from their leadership, expertise, and service in the Cabinet, and I thank them for raising their hands to serve and leading these critical departments during these historically challenging times.”

Scruggs, appointed in January 2023 as the first Black woman to lead the state’s prison system, leaves amid sustained criticism over staffing shortages and violence inside state facilities. Between 2024 and 2025, 22 deaths in the prison system were classified as homicides, according to state data. Her departure was first reported Thursday by The Baltimore Banner.

Union officials who have clashed with Scruggs during her tenure welcomed the change. “We’re pleased to see the department moving in a different direction — as all facets of the agency (Parole and Probation, Home Detention Unit, Pretrial Detention, and the entirety of the Division of Corrections) need a change in leadership and a massive influx of resources,” said Jack Hughes, president of Maryland Council 3 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

Hughes said legislative hearings and union staffing analyses have shown the department lacks the personnel and resources to fulfill its mission. “AFSCME looks forward to working with new department leadership to make our communities safer, protect those in the state’s care, and ensure that AFSCME members get home from work safely,” he said.

Deputy Secretary of Operations David C. Greene, a more than 20-year veteran of the department, took over as interim secretary Friday and will serve until a permanent replacement is named.

Lee, 72, was appointed secretary of state shortly after Moore took office in 2023. A Montgomery County Democrat, she served in the House of Delegates from 2002 to 2015 and in the Senate until January 2023. Two years ago she took a leave of absence to address a personal health matter. Moore’s office said Friday she is departing “for personal matters.”

Deputy Secretary of State Michael Lore, an attorney, will serve as interim secretary. Lore previously served as Lee’s chief of staff in the Senate, worked for Sen. Norman Stone (D-Baltimore County), and was a speechwriter and researcher for Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-8th).

Rothstein leaves after 15 months leading the veterans agency. A Republican and Army veteran, he gave up his seat as a Carroll County commissioner to join the Moore administration. He served more than three decades in the military, including as an intelligence officer and garrison commander at Fort Meade.

Deputy Secretary James “Jimmy” Anderson will take over as acting secretary of Veterans and Military Families effective Nov. 6, according to Moore’s office.

The Cabinet shake-up follows Thursday’s announcement that Lester Davis would step down as Moore’s chief of staff after just over a year to become interim CEO of the Maryland Technology Development Corp. Emmanuel “Manny” Welsh, previously principal deputy chief of staff, succeeded Davis. Both assumed their new roles immediately.

The changes signal Moore is reshaping his administration as he begins his second term, with public safety and veterans services among the departments now under new interim leadership.