Paul Schwartzman and Paul Schwartzman report for
the Washington Post
BALTIMORE — Mayor Catherine E. Pugh, who is under state and federal investigation over lucrative sales of her self-published children’s books, resigned Thursday, plunging this already rattled city into another political crisis.
Pugh (D), a former state lawmaker, has been under public scrutinysince at least March, following news reports about the book deals with companies that do business with the city and state.
Her attorney, Steven D. Silverman, announced her resignation at his downtown law office, calling it a “sad day for Baltimore” and reading a statement from Pugh, who was believed to be at her home elsewhere in the city.
“I am sorry for the harm I have caused to the image of the city of Baltimore and the credibility of the office of the mayor,” the statement said. “Baltimore deserves a mayor that can move our great city forward.”
Silverman departed without taking questions.
The resignation ends weeks of sometimes frenzied speculation over whether Pugh would try to stay in office despite the scandal, questions that even her own aides and associates were asking up until the final hours.
Her departure is another bruising setback for a city long besieged by poverty and violence and still recovering from a series of police corruption scandals and rioting in 2015 related to the death of Freddie Gray in police custody. Pugh, 69, is the second Baltimore mayor in the past decade to leave office while facing corruption allegations.
“This was the right decision, as it was clear the mayor could no longer lead effectively,” Gov. Larry Hogan (R), who called for her resignation a week ago, said in a statement. “The federal and state investigations must and will continue to uncover the facts. Baltimore City can now begin to move forward.”
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