BALTIMORE, MD — The mayor of Baltimore resigned effective immediately, her attorney said at a press conference on Thursday, May 2. He read a statement from Mayor Catherine Pugh announcing her resignation and apologizing to the citizens.

Pugh, 69, had been on leave since April 1. She cited pneumonia in stepping aside at a time when she was under scrutiny for netting more than half a million dollars in book deals from health-care companies that do business with the government.

“I am sorry for the harm that I have caused to the image of the city of Baltimore,” Pugh said in a statement read by her attorney Steven Silverman at his office in downtown Baltimore Thursday afternoon.

Area leaders issued statements in support of Pugh’s resignation.

“This was the right decision, as it was clear the mayor could no longer lead effectively. The federal and state investigations must and will continue to uncover the facts,” Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said Thursday afternoon.

Hogan, a Republican, had called on Pugh to resign a week earlier, after the FBI and IRS served warrants at City Hall and her home as well as other properties tied to the Democrat.

When Pugh announced she was taking a leave of absence on April 1, Hogan requested an ethics probe into what he called “disturbing allegations” around her “questionable financial dealings” with the University of Maryland Medical System related to her “Healthy Holly” children’s book.

Other leaders also called for action after learning she had netted hundreds of thousands of dollars in “Healthy Holly” book deals with companies including the University of Maryland Medical System, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield and Kaiser Permanente.

Federal agents removed items from the home of Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh in the 3400 block of Ellamont Road as they executed a search warrant on April 25. (John Strohsacker/Getty Images)

While the federal and state investigations are ongoing, Pugh has not been charged with any crime.

“Baltimore City can now begin to move forward,” Hogan said Thursday. “The state pledges its full support to incoming Mayor Jack Young and to city leaders during this time of transition.”

Jack Young, who had been the president of the Baltimore City Council, has been serving as acting mayor since Pugh took leave. He will take over as mayor, per the city’s charter.

“I pledge that my focus will not change. I have listened to the concerns of our citizens and I will work diligently to address those concerns,” Young wrote in a statement Thursday. “Although I understand that this ordeal has caused real pain for many Baltimoreans, I promise that we will emerge more than ever to building a stronger Baltimore.”

Young thanked the civil servants who have worked under “challenging and uncertain circumstances” as well as the people of Baltimore, stating: “I look forward to rolling up my sleeves and continuing to work on your behalf.”

Earlier in the month, the entire city council — all Democrats — signed a letter asking the mayor to resign. Dated April 8, the memo addressed to Pugh stated “it is not in the best interest of the City of Baltimore for you to continue to serve as mayor.” The council requested she tender her resignation immediately.

Pugh was inaugurated in December 2016 and was elected mayor after serving for nearly a decade as a member of the Maryland Senate. Her career in politics also included time on the Baltimore City Council and in the Maryland House of Delegates.

“Today is a day of relief and accountability for Baltimore,” Baltimore Councilman Brandon Scott said in a statement Thursday afternoon. “Now the city can move forward with tackling the vast challenges facing Baltimore including improving our schools and reducing crime. I look forward to working with all of our local, state and federal leadership to get Baltimore back on track.”

AFRO broke the story Thursday morning about the city’s embattled mayor’s plan to step down.

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“‘I’m going to resign,'” Pugh reportedly told AFRO Publisher/CEO Rev. Frances “Toni” Draper, Ph.D., after a prayer vigil that Draper attended outside the mayor’s house Wednesday night.
When Draper asked the mayor whether she was sure, Pugh said: “‘They’re trying to take everything from me,'” AFRO reported.