Baltimore IG Warns Current Rules Could Block Fraud Findings

Inspector General says restrictions would have prevented $38 million in uncovered waste and abuse.

Apr. 14, 2026 at 11:11pm

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A quiet, cinematic painting of the Baltimore City Hall building bathed in warm, diagonal sunlight and deep shadows, with a lone figure standing in front of the entrance, conveying a sense of solitude and tension.As the Baltimore Inspector General battles City Hall over access to records, the fight for transparency and accountability in government continues.Baltimore Today

Baltimore Inspector General Isabel Cumming says that if the city's current restrictions on her office had been in place since she took office in 2018, she would not have uncovered an estimated $38 million in fraud, waste, and abuse. Cumming argues that limits the city currently enforces, including restrictions on access to unredacted records, would have blocked 104 major investigations that exposed millions in improper spending over the past seven years.

Why it matters

The dispute highlights ongoing tensions over the scope of the inspector general's authority in Baltimore. Voters expanded the office's independence in 2018, granting subpoena power and strengthening oversight, but the city is now pushing back against the IG's access to records needed to uncover fraud and misuse of public funds.

The details

In an amended court filing, Cumming argues that restricting access to core financial records, including vendor payments and employee details, prevents her office from determining 'who was paid by the city, when, and how much.' The filing also raises concerns about the process, noting the office receives about 60 complaints a month involving potential fraud but has historically relied on direct access to records to keep complaints confidential before opening formal investigations.

  • Cumming took office as Baltimore's Inspector General in 2018.
  • In 2018, Baltimore voters expanded the IG's office independence through a charter amendment.
  • In 2022, Baltimore further strengthened the IG's oversight structure.

The players

Isabel Cumming

The Baltimore Inspector General who has uncovered an estimated $38 million in fraud, waste, and abuse since taking office in 2018.

Baltimore City

The city government that is currently enforcing restrictions on the Inspector General's office, including limits on access to unredacted financial records.

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What they’re saying

“Those statistics show a demonstrable harm to the city and its taxpayers.”

— Isabel Cumming, Baltimore Inspector General

“If the Mayor's Office, through the Mayor-appointed City Solicitor, who serves at the pleasure of the Mayor, is to be the final arbiter of what information should be disclosed in investigations of potential fraud, waste and abuse, then why did the people and taxpayers of Baltimore City establish in the city charter an OIG in the first place?”

— Isabel Cumming, Baltimore Inspector General

What’s next

A judge will decide whether to dismiss the case filed by Cumming against the city's restrictions on her office's access to records.

The takeaway

This dispute highlights the ongoing battle over the scope of the Baltimore Inspector General's authority to investigate fraud and misuse of public funds. The voters have expanded the IG's independence, but the city government is now pushing back, raising concerns about transparency and accountability for taxpayer dollars.