Op-Ed: IG Cumming has delivered for Charm City

This was originally published by WBFF (Fox45 Baltimore) on January 28th, 2022. 

For the past few decades, Baltimore has continued its slow, sorry slide toward failed governance. Charm City’s murder count routinely tops 300, resulting in a homicide rate significantly higher than other major cities such as Chicago and Philadelphia. The city’s public officials have faced conviction after conviction for charges of wrongdoing. Earlier this month, the city’s top prosecutor, Marilyn Mosby, was indicted on federal charges of perjury and the filing of false loan applications related to the purchase of two Florida vacation properties. Baltimore desperately needs strong voices for accountability, and for the first time in decades, they have such a figure in Inspector General (IG) Isabel Cumming. For the past four years, Cumming has turned a moribund IG office into a waste and fraud-fighting machine saving the city more than $7 million per year and identifying millions more in waste, fraud, and abuse. The IG deserves Baltimore’s respect and gratitude for making Baltimore a fairer, more honest place.

When Cumming took her post on January 29, 2018, the IG’s office was a sad spectacle. While the watchdog technically existed, it had not done much of anything following the forced resignation of Robert Pearre. Pearre wanted to investigate a high-ranking official (then-Chief Information Officer Jerome Mullen), and this did not sit well with Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake’s deputy chief of staff Kimberly Morton. Pearre flew too close to the sun and had to relinquish his position as a result. Between Pearre’s ouster and Cumming’s appointment, the IG office failed to issue a single public investigative report, shuttered its Twitter account, and identified a mere $22,000 in savings for FY 2017.

Enter Cumming. Days after being chosen as Baltimore’s IG in 2018, Cumming made clear that “nobody is off-limits. Overtime situations, theft of time. Purchase cards. There are so many areas that need to be looked atI love going after white-collar criminals.” At the time, then-Mayor Pugh sung her praises, stating Cumming “knows how to operate independently to be fair and just.” After media reports revealed that then-Mayor Pugh had cozy financial ties to the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), the IG’s office began to take a closer look at the city leader’s money dealings.

And, since Pugh’s indictment, Cumming has continued to fight the good fight to hold corrupt city officials accountable. One recent target has been Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby, known for her lavish international trips on the taxpayer’s dime and problems accurately reporting her finances. Following the release of a report detailing Mosby’s many ethically dubious travel expenditures, Mosby’s lawyers pressured the IG office to revise the report to make the embattled attorney look better. Cumming stood firm, responding, “[n]o. I’m standing behind my report.” And, now that Mosby has been indicted, Cumming’s decision to not waver in holding her accountable looks all the better.

Not everyone is thrilled with the IG’s work. An IG Advisory Board was created with the task of appointing the IG, conducting an annual performance review, and reviewing, revising, and approving the IG’s budget. That is it. In just two meetings, the Board has already overstepped its bounds. At the panel’s inaugural meeting in July of 2021, Chairman Solicitor Shea said he wants the Board to “delve into particulars” of the IG’s investigations, request public comment and interview the OIG employees. This is an inappropriate use of the Board, and such sentiments indicate why it is critical to keep the Board independent. The biggest weakness with the board is that it is comprised of officials who could conceivably become targets of investigation by the IG. Not surprisingly, then, many members of this board are critical of the IG’s activities and are actively trying to rein her in. Board chairman (and city solicitor) James Shea has implied that Mosby lacks “equity” and “quality control” in her investigations, despite little evidence put forward to substantiate those allegations. This pointless tug-of-war will likely continue if Board members can be influenced by officials such as City Council President Nick Mosby, who is not happy that his wife (Marilyn Mosby) is a target of investigation by the watchdog. Nick Mosby, in his capacity as City Council President, appointments 2 members of the Advisory Board. Needless to say, a major conflict of interest that would even make a Chicago politician blush.

While an IG Advisory Board could be a positive influence on Baltimore and her IG, the body will continue to be hamstrung by political considerations unless the board sheds its partisan makeup. That would mean getting rid of officials such as Shea and Michael Huber (Mayor Scott’s chief of staff) and replacing them with citizens of Baltimore who have no political ties.

Cumming’s tenure is up in two years so it is critical that the changes to the IG Advisory Board happen now in order for the next IG to be independent and be able to root out waste and corruption in Charm City.

Ross Marchand is a senior fellow for the Taxpayers Protection Alliance.