BALTIMORE — In light of recent events, inspector generals are urging the legislature to amend the state’s open records law. This follows Baltimore City’s Inspector General, Isabel Cumming, receiving heavily redacted internal documents for the first time during her eight-year tenure.
“This denial enables political figures or individuals with power within the entities being overseen to conceal vital information behind a mask of privilege,” she expressed to the Inspector General Advisory Board during a meeting held on Tuesday.
Cumming has been vocal about concerns that began on Friday, January 16, when she received 200 pages of financial records that were predominantly blacked out.
OIG requested financial records on 10/22/25. Below is what OIG finally got on 1/16/26 – 200 pages redacted. Unable to track taxpayer $$ -on 1/20 IG subpoenaed these pages
w/o redactions due 1/22. On 1/24, OIG lost its admin access* to data – w/o notice & still no records. pic.twitter.com/w3M17d6z0w— Isabel22 (@isabel_cumming) January 27, 2026
Cumming indicated that the documents pertained to payments made by the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (MONSE) to contractors. In response to the lack of clarity, she issued a follow-up subpoena which remains unanswered.
“I currently have an outstanding subpoena, and according to the law, I have the authority to enforce it,” she stated. Notably, she mentioned that she has had to resort to this authority only three times, all in connection with the office’s investigations regarding MONSE.
The board has approved her request to seek pro-bono legal assistance to enforce the subpoena. Cumming informed WMAR-2 News that she anticipates having legal representation by early next week.
However, Mayor Brandon Scott insists that they are adhering to the Maryland Public Information Act (PIA), which includes certain exemptions for sensitive materials, such as medical and financial records, that apply universally. “We want to support her important work, but we cannot allow anyone working for the City of Baltimore to operate outside of state law compliance,” Scott emphasized.
His office references an advisory letter from Assistant Attorney General Shaunee Harrison addressed to Baltimore City state senator Antonio Hayes of the 40th District, dated February 3, 2026.
In the letter, Harrison asserts, “[In my view, a local law or charter provision that requires local government record custodians to disclose records to a local inspector general would conflict with State law and would be unenforceable if it mandated or allowed the custodian to release records that fall under any of the PIA’s mandatory exceptions.”
This statement, however, does not constitute an official opinion from the Attorney General. WMAR-2 News reached out to the AG’s Office, but no response was received by the time this article went to press.
Statement from the Mayor’s Office:
“Two key points emerged from Tuesday night’s Advisory Board meeting: (1) the OIG acknowledged that the Attorney General’s legal opinion is clear, and (2) the board would benefit from engaging more with the context surrounding these decisions, which they have yet to thoroughly explore. Relying solely on one perspective will not yield a comprehensive understanding.”
“We are keen to have the Law Department update the Board Chair on these issues, including the reasons why it is impractical for the IG to pursue legal action against the City in her official role and to collaborate with the OIG and Board to establish new strategies ensuring continuous and uninterrupted operations.”
“This letter could significantly hinder our operations and diminish our capacity to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse,” Cumming alongside inspectors general from Baltimore, Howard, and Montgomery Counties articulated in a public letter. They pointed out that information classified as mandatory exceptions under the MPIA is “routinely employed” in their investigative work.
They have called upon lawmakers to institute an exemption for local inspector general offices within the MPIA, ensuring they have the necessary access to information and reinforcing the State’s dedication to transparency and accountability in all government activities.
Inspector Generals urge legislators to exempt their offices from restrictions of open records law
