SCANDAL: Baltimore Mayor Flees State Amid Federal Criminal Raids, Report Says

Catherine Pugh, the Democrat mayor of Baltimore has reportedly fled the state of Maryland amid FBI and IRS raids on her home, and her office in City Hall.

“[N]o one has seen the mayor and her own spokesperson doesn’t know where she is even though she’s supposed to be recovering from pneumonia,” according to WJZ13. “However, a source tells WJZ however Pugh was at her home when the raid began, but has since left the state.”

Her attorney reportedly did not reply to a comment request.

Citing health concerns, Pugh took an indefinite leave of absence just as an investigation was opened into her dealings selling children’s books.

Big League Politics reported earlier Thursday:

Pugh is currently being investigated by the Maryland State Prosecutor’s Office in connection to sales of her “Healthy Holly” children’s books. On April 1, she announced that she would be taking a leave of absence for “health reasons” as the scandal grew.

“The Baltimore Sun reported last month that Pugh was paid $500,000 by the University of Maryland Medical System for 100,000 of the books to distribute to schoolchildren,” according to Thursday’s Baltimore Sun report. “The no-bid arrangement was made while she was on the hospital network’s unpaid board. Health provider Kaiser Permanente later acknowledged that it paid Pugh more than $100,000 to buy about 20,000 copies of her books during a period when the company was seeking a lucrative contract to provide health insurance to city employees.”

This story is developing.

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