Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh “fully intends” to return to her position despite calls from city council officials to resign Monday.
Today, the entire membership of the City Council calls on Mayor Pugh to resign. It is beyond thinkable that she should ever return to a role in government.
If she has any ability to put Baltimore’s welfare ahead of her own self-interest, she’ll not delay in offering resignation. pic.twitter.com/KogBG4hgkH
— Ryan Dorsey (@ElectRyanDorsey) April 8, 2019
“The entire membership of the Baltimore City Council believes that it is not in the best interest of the City of Baltimore, for you to continue to serve as Mayor,” the letter said Monday. “We urge you to tender your resignation, effective immediately.”
Pugh’s office announced on April 1 that she would taking an indefinite leave of absence citing health problems.
“Mayor Pugh has taken a leave to focus on recovering from pneumonia and regaining her health,” Pugh’s office said in a statement shortly after the letter, The Baltimore Sun reported. “She fully intends to resume the duties of her office and continuing her work on behalf of the people and the City of Baltimore.”
Pugh, 69, came under fire since it was discovered she sold her self-published children’s book “Healthy Holly: Exercising is Fun!” to the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) for $500,000 while serving on the system’s board, according to The Sun. She was a state Senate member and on the Senate Finance Committee that oversaw issues related to UMMS for most of the time the book agreement existed. Pugh did not disclose the book’s earnings on ethics forms, however.
Republican Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan agrees city leaders should be taking a stronger stance against Pugh to prompt a resignation. (RELATED: Ted Cruz To Open Investigation Over Yale Policy That Allegedly Discriminates Against Christians)
“Obviously the continuing saga has gotten worse every day and it’s gotten to the point where city leaders are taking a much stronger position,” Hogan said, The Sun reported. “I think that’s the way it should be dealt with. I think it should get to the point where she resigns.”
Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot also called on Pugh to resign in a tweet April 1.
The council has reportedly never asked a mayor to step down in recent time, The Sun reported.
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