Judge rejects Baltimore's emergency request to block inspector general's access to records

A judge has denied Baltimore City's emergency request to continue blocking the inspector general's access to records and to compel the city to respond to subpoenas.

The ruling means the city must immediately comply with subpoenas and restore Inspector General Isabel Cumming's access to electronic records.

"Neither the fact of the Emergency Motion nor the City's repeated arguments should serve to excuse continued interference with Charter responsibilities of the Office of Inspector General by rejecting lawful subpoenas or refusing to restore the access to City records denied since January 22, 2026," the ruling reads.

Earlier this week, Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott appealed Judge Pamela White's ruling requiring the city to restore Cumming's access to city records and computer systems within two days. White also ordered city officials to immediately turn over materials that Cumming's office has subpoenaed.

"When the city abruptly and adversely changed OIG's operating circumstances, consequently interfering with Plaintiffs' performance of Charter responsibilities, Plaintiffs identified and established the existence of an actual and justiciable controversy: subpoenas are outstanding, standard investigative practices cut off, access to databases shut down," White wrote. "OIG investigations are restricted, severely limited without direct access to employee emails and data. Plaintiffs' critical role to root out governmental fraud, finance waste, and abuse is obstructed by Defendant's interference with OIG's investigatory performance."

On Wednesday, Maryland's Appellate Court temporarily paused the judge's order, stating that the lower court must first rule on another motion before a full appeal can proceed. 

The appellate court previously rejected an appeal filed by the mayor's administration on Sept. 14.

Judge awards win for inspector general

Last week, White ruled in favor of Cumming, ordering the city to restore the Office of Inspector General's access to its computer systems and information the office has subpoenaed.

During the hearing, White said she was "deeply disappointed" with the city's explanations for suddenly cutting off the inspector general's access in January.

She told Renita Collins, the city's primary attorney in the case, that she was "making no sense" with some of her arguments and said she was "stunned" by the city's distrust of the inspector general.

White repeatedly said the inspector general should have access to records needed to complete investigations without revealing the targets of those investigations.

The judge also said she would issue an order requiring city officials to turn over documents related to the Sidestep youth program, which was overseen by the Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement, or MONSE.

The months-long legal dispute

Since January, the inspector general's office has issued 19 subpoenas, 11 of which were sent to the Baltimore City department responsible for information technology. One subpoena was sent to MONSE seeking Slack communications.

The inspector general's office has also sought emails from 36 city employees. So far, the city has provided emails from only one employee.

Collins argued that reviewing every email is time-consuming because city attorneys must determine whether the messages contain attorney-client-privileged information or other protected material. Collins said city officials asked Cumming to narrow the requests but claimed she was uncooperative.

Cumming's legal team argued that the issue could have been avoided if the city had restored her access to Baltimore's computer servers.

Nearly 180 pages of documents were also redacted by the city after attorneys argued they contained information about juveniles and medical records that should not be disclosed.

The city previously said it cooperated and resolved the MONSE records request, but OIG attorneys disputed that claim.

"As this matter is the subject of active litigation, the City will reserve comment for the appropriate judicial forum," the mayor's office told CBS News Baltimore.