Baltimore City Mayor Catherine Pugh’s leave of absence prompted speculation that she is weighing an exit strategy while she is under investigation for the sales of her self-published books for children.
Matthew Crenson, author of a 2017 book on the history of Baltimore politics said, should a criminal investigation lead to an indictment of the mayor, Pugh would likely “eventually” have to step down.
Crenson, a professor emeritus of Johns Hopkins University, said Pugh’s position is especially tenuous given the most recent reports that she was paid $200,000 by Kaiser Permanente and Associated Black Charities for the children’s books.
A statement issued by the mayor’s office Monday explained Pugh is taking an “indefinite” leave of absence due to continued health problems. The mayor had been hospitalized for five days last week while being treated for pneumonia.
After reports surfaced that Pugh made $500,000 for selling her “Healthy Holly” children’s books to the University of Maryland Medical System while sitting on its board, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan called on the Maryland state prosecutor to investigate. Comptroller Peter Franchot called for Pugh to resign.
The state prosecutor’s office was established in the 1970s to investigate election law violations, ethics laws violations and misconduct in office along with extortion, perjury or obstruction of justice.
Crenson, a Baltimore native, points out that the scrutiny of Pugh’s book deal began while she was mayor, but that the deal originated in 2011 when she was serving in the Maryland legislature.
“(Pugh) didn’t do this as mayor. It began when she was a member of the state senate,” Crenson said of the mayor’s business dealings. “In fact, most Baltimoreans and Baltimore-area politicians who get in trouble don’t get in trouble in Baltimore. They get in trouble in Annapolis.”
Crenson referred to the case of longtime Annapolis lawmaker Nathaniel Oaks, who served for decades in the Maryland House of Delegates before serving in the state senate. In March 2018, Oaks pleaded guilty to federal corruption charges. He resigned from the senate on the same day he entered his guilty plea.
“He was from Baltimore, but he was serving in Annapolis when all of that happened” said Crenson.
Pugh won the Democratic mayoral primary when she ran against former Mayor Sheila Dixon in 2015. In 2009, Dixon was indicted on a charge of allegedly misusing gift cards intended for low-income residents. Dixon resigned as part of a plea agreement.
