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U.S. NEWS Friday 28 February 2020

Latest Baltimore scandal ends

with former mayor's sentencing

By REGINA GARCIA CANO of dollars. Federal authori- Maryland's 7th Congres-
Associated Press ties accused her of double sional District. Five people
BALTIMORE (AP) — Yet an- selling the books, keeping spoke in support of Pugh
other embarrassing chap- many for self-promotion during the hearing, includ-
ter in Baltimore's extremely purposes and failing to ing her former high school
troubled history ended deliver them to institutions teacher. But Chasanow
Thursday when the city's they were purchased for, said she found it ironic that
former mayor was sen- including the Baltimore City Pugh's supporters stressed
tenced to federal prison for Public Schools. Pugh used her commitment to pub-
fraudulently selling her self- the proceeds to fund straw lic service because "it was
published children's books donations to her mayoral precisely that reputation
to nonprofit organizations campaign and buy a new for good work that en- Former Baltimore mayor Catherine Pugh, second from left, and
to promote her political house. abled her to commit those her attorney Steven Silverman, left, leave a sentencing hearing
career. Pugh was also sentenced offenses." at U.S. District Court in Baltimore on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020.
Catherine Pugh accepted Thursday to serve three "I have yet frankly to hear Associated Press
"full responsibility" for her years of supervised release any explanation that
actions and apologized after getting out of prison. makes sense," Chasanow 132,100 copies. But only the state's largest employ-
through tears during the She was ordered to pay said. "This was not a tiny about 73,200 copies were ers — was Pugh's biggest
roughly 10 minutes she more than $411,000 in res- mistake, lapse of judg- printed. Prosecutors said book customer. The system
spoke in federal court in titution and to forfeit more ment. This became a very Pugh's personal inventory is slated to get $400,000 of
Baltimore before she was than $669,000 to the gov- large fraud. The nature and of books never exceeded the restitution Pugh was
sentenced. The veteran ernment. circumstances of this of- 8,216 copies, but she resold ordered to pay. Another
Democratic politician said The disgraced former may- fense clearly I think are ex- them repeatedly through book buyer, the Maryland
that "no one is more disap- or pleaded guilty to feder- tremely, extremely serious." the elaborate scheme. Automobile Insurance
pointed than me" and add- al conspiracy and tax eva- Baltimore City Council The University of Maryland Fund, is expected to get
ed that she did not want to sion charges in November. President Brandon M. Scott Medical System — one of about $11,000.q
bring "any more shame" to She will be notified by April called the sentencing "a
the city. 13 when she must surrender somber moment for Balti-
"I think the first thing I should and begin her sentence. more," saying in a written
do is apologize to the citi- "She had no qualms to use statement that Pugh's acts
zens of Baltimore who put any means necessary to "seriously undermined the
their faith and trust in me win the mayoral election," public's trust in our local
as their mayor, and to all Assistant U.S. Attorney Mar- government."
the people who put their tin Clarke said during the "This moment reminds us
faith and trust in me as sentencing hearing. that, as elected officials,
state senator and as del- Prosecutors had asked U.S. we have one job: to serve
egate," Pugh said outside District Judge Deborah K. the people, period," Scott
the courthouse after being Chasanow to sentence the said.
sentenced. former mayor to nearly five Pugh, helped by longtime
The scandal shook Mary- years in prison, while her at- aide Gary Brown Jr., care-
land's largest city, which torneys suggested a term fully carried out the "Healthy
for years has struggled with of one year and a day. Holly" scheme over more
grinding poverty, political Prior to the hearing, a visibly than seven years, start-
mismanagement, record stressed Pugh teared up ing when she was a Mary-
crime rates and police when she turned around land state senator and into
abuses that led to massive in her seat and saw friends her tenure as Baltimore's
riots. And it made a mock- and others sitting in the mayor. Brown and anoth-
ery of Pugh's inaugural packed courtroom. Her at- er Pugh associate, Roslyn
promise to restore trust in torney, Steven Silverman, Wedington, await sentenc-
Baltimore's leaders. handed her a box of tis- ing after pleading guilty to
Pugh, who turns 70 next sues and briefly rubbed her conspiracy and tax fraud.
week, was elected mayor back. A detailed accounting
in 2016 and resigned un- Dozens of people submit- of the sales presented by
der pressure in May as au- ted letters to Chasanow prosecutors in their sen-
thorities investigated bulk pleading for leniency, in- tencing memorandum
sales of her "Healthy Holly" cluding Kweisi Mfume, the showed that organiza-
paperbacks, which netted former NAACP leader and tions paid Pugh $859,960
her hundreds of thousands Democratic nominee for for orders of more than