Catherine Pugh Book Controversy: What You Need To Know

By Staff Reporter
Posted on 11/20/19 | News Source: WBAL TV

BALTIMORE — Former Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh is under investigation for her book deals through her Healthy Holly LLC that were made while she was a member of the University of Maryland Medical System Board of Directors. Here's what you need to know.

March 14, 2019

City Solicitor Andre Davis says Mayor Pugh was not required to disclose her position as a UMMS board member in city ethic filings.

March 15, 2019: Governor calls on UMMS board members to resign

Gov. Larry Hogan calls on members of the UMMS board to resign and clear conflicts of interest.

March 18, 2019: Mayor Pugh resigns from UMMS board

Mayor Pugh resigns from the University of Maryland Medical System's Board of Directors.

March 20, 2019: Mayor Pugh returns $100K payment to UMMS

Mayor Pugh returns $100,000 payment to the University of Maryland Medical System.

March 21, 2019: Outside firm to review business relationships

An outside firm is being hired to review the business relationships between board members and the University of Maryland Medical System.

March 25, 2019: Mayor's purchase of home comes into question

March 28, 2019: Mayor Pugh defends book deals

Mayor Pugh, just released from the hospital, holds a press conference defending her book deals, showing paperwork to say she shipped three batches of Health Holly books to city schools between 2011 and 2015.

March 29, 2019: General Assembly overhauls UMMS board

A bill in the General Assembly to overhaul the UMMS board gets amended to require the firing of all current members. The governor signed the bill into law in April.

April 1, 2019: Governor seeks formal investigation

Gov. Larry Hogan sends letter to the Maryland State Prosecutor's Office, seeking a formal investigation of the book deal between Mayor Pugh and UMMS.

April 1, 2019: Mayor Pugh takes leave of absence

Mayor Pugh announces an indefinite leave of absence for health reasons. Comptroller and members of City Council call for mayor's resignation. Other companies, including Kaiser Permanente, confirm funding the purchase of the children's books.

April 1, 2019: City schools responds about book shipments

City schools says even though thousands of the books were donated, the district admitted it's still having a hard time accounting for some of those transactions, which date back to 2011.

April 2, 2019: Jack Young takes over as ex-officio mayor

City Council President Jack Young takes over on his first day as ex-officio mayor, saying he is a placeholder in the position.

April 2, 2019: State prosecutor investigating book deals

The second house Mayor Pugh purchased in December 2016 was renovated without the proper permits, the I-Team reported. Mayor Pugh's lawyer confirmed that the Maryland State Prosecutor's Office is investigating the mayor's book deals and possible ethics violations.

April 3, 2019: City Ethics Board opens investigation

The Baltimore City Ethics Board has opened an investigation of Mayor Pugh's dealings through Healthy Holly LLC. Young announces the city will review the last 90 days of contracts before the Board of Estimates.

April 3, 2019: Questions arise over city's health care contracts

Questions arise as to whether the city will have to reopen a health care contract with Kaiser Permanente. Mayor Pugh voted on the $675 million contract without disclosing her LLC was selling books to Kaiser.

April 4, 2019: Hogan speaks about latest in controversy

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan speaks on the controversy surrounding Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh's book deals as they relate to the University of Maryland Medical System board of directors and other entities. Asked whether he thinks Mayor Pugh should resign, Hogan said, "It's not up to me to make that decision."

April 5, 2019

There's stepped up scrutiny of Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh's book sales as Maryland investigators look for more dealings with insurance companies. And the I-Team is raising new questions about the mayor's cash purchase of her home.

April 8, 2019: Entire City Council calls on Mayor Pugh to resign

The entire Baltimore City Council has called for Mayor Catherine Pugh's resignation. The letter signed by all members of the Baltimore City Council is the strongest push yet for Pugh to step down.

April 9, 2019: Harrison reaffirms commitment to Baltimore

Baltimore's new police commissioner, Michael Harrison, says his commitment to the city has not changed. Harrison addressed the impact of the controversy surrounding Mayor Catherine Pugh -- the woman who hired him.

April 10, 2019: Mayoral aides placed on paid leave

Three mayoral aides, who were listed as board members of a nonprofit that was once chaired by Mayor Catherine Pugh, are on paid leave from their city jobs.

April 10, 2019: BPD consent decree will not be derailed

The federal judge overseeing the Baltimore Police Department's consent decree called the controversy surrounding Mayor Catherine Pugh the latest crisis in city leadership. Judge James Bredar assured the public that it remains full speed ahead for the Baltimore police consent decree.

April 12, 2019: Business group calls on Mayor Pugh to resign

The Greater Baltimore Committee's board of directors is calling on Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh to resign.


April 12, 2019: Associated Black Charities contract to be audited

Baltimore Ex-Officio Mayor Jack Young is ordering an audit of the city's contract with Associated Black Charities.


April 17, 2019: Two more Pugh aides put on leave

Two more aides to Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh have been put on paid leave by Ex-Officio Mayor Jack Young, sources told the 11 News I-Team.

The next day, several sources told the 11 News I-Team that the director of the Baltimore City Women's Commission was put on paid leave.


April 17, 2019: IG looking at elected officials' board relationships

Baltimore City's inspector general is now looking at board relationships involving other elected officials.


April 22, 2019: City Council considering ethics bills

The scandal surrounding Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh's "Healthy Holly" book deals is providing urgency to several City Council ethics bills. One piece of legislation would strengthen city ethics laws. Other measures in the works would limit the power of the mayor. Another would make it easier to remove a mayor from office.


April 24, 2019: 3 top Pugh aides fired

Three top aides to Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh who were put on paid leave have received termination letters, and a charity again gets flagged while seeking city funding.

Ex-Officio Mayor Jack Young confirmed Wednesday that Gary Brown Jr., Poetri Deal and Afra Vance-White are the three aides who received termination letters. No reason was given for their termination. They are at-will employees.


April 25, 2019: FBI, IRS search Pugh's home, other locations

The FBI and IRS execute search warrants at Pugh's homes, a nonprofit address, an aide's home and Baltimore City Hall.

Agents searched Pugh's home on Ellamont Road in northwest Baltimore, which she purchased in December 2016. The agents have been seen entering and exiting the home, putting boxes into cars.

In the hours after the searches began, Gov. Larry Hogan called on Pugh to resign, saying, "Now more than ever, Baltimore City needs strong and responsible leadership. Mayor Pugh has lost the public trust. She is clearly not fit to lead."

April 26, 2019: UMMS CEO Robert Chrencik resigns

University of Maryland Medical System President and CEO Robert A. Chrencik, who had been on a leave of absence since March 25, has resigned.


April 26, 2019: Pugh, still recovering from illness, meets with lawyers

Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh has been meeting with her lawyers all day Friday while the FBI and IRS sort through the potential evidence agents seized Thursday in high-profile raids across the city.

April 29, 2019: Suspended Pugh aides fired

A spokesman for Ex-Officio Mayor Jack Young said Bruce Williams, chief of staff, and Karen Stokes, who was director of government relations, are no longer with the city.

April 29, 2019: City Council members want power to remove mayor

The investigation into Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh has city council members looking to reform the city's charter. The Baltimore City Council is considering four bills that would change the city charter. Some members of council said it's an effort to fix structural imbalances of power.


April 30, 2019: New questions about Pugh's campaign money trail

The 11 News I-Team is raising new questions about Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh's money trail, which helped fuel her campaign victory in 2016.

Over the first three months of 2016, Pugh reported raising nearly $300,000 in her campaign to become Baltimore mayor.

A big donation was reported to have come from a man who lived in a second-floor apartment in Fells Point. Campaign records show he wrote a check for $6,000 on March 15, 2016.


May 2, 2019: Mayor Pugh resigns

Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh has resigned, more than a month after taking a leave of absence for health reasons and amid scrutiny over her children's books.

The announcement was made at the offices of the mayor's attorney, Steve Silverman. Silverman read a statement from Pugh as follows:

Dear citizens of Baltimore,

 I would like to thank you for allowing me to serve as the 50th mayor. It has been an honor and a privilege.

 Today, I am submitting my written resignation to the Baltimore City Council. I am sorry for the harm that I have caused to the image of the city of Baltimore and the credibility of the Office of the Mayor.

 Baltimore deserves a mayor who can move our great city forward. I want to thank all of our department heads and staff who work hard every day to improve the quality of life for all who live, work and visit our city.

 I also want to thank Jack Young, the president of the City Council, for his steadfast leadership in my absence. I wish you well in your new role as mayor of Baltimore City

 Sincerely,
Catherine E. Pugh


May 8, 2019: Documents detail items seized in FBI/IRS raids

The 11 News I-Team has obtained an inventory of the documents seized in the FBI and IRS raids linked to former Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh. The documents are new clues about why Pugh is on the radar of the FBI and IRS, and they raise new questions.

November 11, 2019: Pugh federally indicted on 11 counts of fraud, tax evasion

An 11-count federal indictment was made public against former Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh. Pugh, 69, is federally charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, seven counts of wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and two counts of tax evasion. Pugh was charged on Nov. 14 and the charges were made public Wednesday.