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U.S. NEWS Friday 3 May 2019

Secluded Baltimore mayor

resigns amid scandal

BALTIMORE (AP) — Balti- Republican governor and In recent days, Silverman
more's mayor resigned un- numerous Democrats had had repeatedly gone in
der pressure Thursday amid pressed for her resignation, and out of Pugh's city home
a flurry of investigations into saying she was no longer fit to discuss "options" with her
whether she arranged bulk to lead Baltimore. while also asserting that
sales of her self-published "This was the right decision, she was so fragile physi-
children's books to disguise as it was clear the mayor cally and mentally that she
hundreds of thousands of could no longer lead effec- was unable to make "major In this June 8, 2018 file photo, Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh
dollars in kickbacks. tively," Gov. Larry Hogan decisions." Last week, Sil- addresses a gathering during the annual meeting of the U.S.
Mayor Catherine Pugh's said in a statement Thurs- verman had told reporters Conference of Mayors in Boston.
resignation came exactly a day afternoon. "Baltimore that she might be "lucid" Associated Press
week after her City Hall of- City can now begin to enough to make a decision
fices, homes and multiple move forward." this week. cartoonish corruption." chases as "grants" in feder-
other locations were raid- Now that Pugh has re- At issue for multiple inves- The City Council called for al filings.
ed by FBI and IRS agents. signed, acting Mayor Ber- tigators are questionable Pugh's immediate resigna- Others then came forward,
She is the second mayor in nard "Jack" Young auto- financial arrangements tion, as did numerous state including Maryland finan-
less than a decade to step matically becomes the she negotiated over years lawmakers and an influen- cier J.P. Grant. He acknowl-
down because of scandal permanent mayor and selling her hard-to-find tial business group, among edged writing a roughly
. She came to office con- will not need to be sworn "Healthy Holly" books. The others. $100,000 check to buy
trasting her clean image in. Young, a Democrat books were meant to be The scandal erupted when Pugh's "Health Holly" books
with her main opponent, and longtime City Coun- provided to schools and it came to light that the Uni- but insisted he expected
ex-mayor Sheila Dixon, who cil member, is currently in day care centers, but it's versity of Maryland Medical nothing in return.
was forced to depart office Detroit for a conference unclear where tens of thou- System, one of the state's At a rambling news confer-
in 2010 as part of a plea about economic develop- sands of copies ended up. largest private employ- ence days before retreat-
deal for misappropriating ment and will return to Bal- Hogan has called the ac- ers, paid Pugh $500,000 for ing from public view, Pugh
about $500 in gift cards timore over the weekend. cusations against Pugh 100,000 copies of her chil- described her book deal
meant for needy families. In a statement, Young "deeply disturbing," and dren's books. There was no worth $500,000 with the uni-
"I am sorry for the harm that thanked the thousands of the state's accountant de- contract behind the deal versity-based health care
I have caused to the im- city employees who came scribed the book-selling and the hospital network system as a "regrettable
age of the city of Baltimore to work each day under arrangements as "brazen, described some of the pur- mistake."q
and the credibility of the uncertain circumstances
office of the mayor," Pugh for weeks.
said in a written statement "Although I understand that
read by her lawyer, Steven this ordeal has caused real
Silverman. pain for many Baltimor-
A federal grand jury has eans, I promise that we will
been empaneled and state emerge from it more com-
and local inquiries are also mitted than ever to build-
underway into the roughly ing a stronger Baltimore,"
$800,000 Pugh made over he said.
the years in exchange for Young declined to com-
her "Healthy Holly" paper- ment further when ap-
backs about health and proached by Associated
nutrition. She hasn't been Press reporters at the De-
charged with any crime. troit conference.
Since the book scandal Citing deteriorating health
erupted in late March, following a bout of pneu-
Pugh's fractured admin- monia, Pugh took a paid
istration has lurched from leave on April 1 and hasn't
one crisis to another and been seen in public since.
various aides have been The 69-year-old abruptly
fired or left City Hall. retreated to her home
Her resignation provides a the same day that Hogan
measure of resolution after asked the state prosecutor
weeks of uncertainty and to investigate public cor-
mounting pressure for her ruption accusations against
to step down. Maryland's her.