Taxpayers Fund Lib Mayor’s $1M Staff Parties

Stacked coins with TAXES on block beneath. — TAXPAYER-FUNDED PARTIES

Baltimore taxpayers footed nearly $1 million in lavish perks for Mayor Brandon Scott’s staff, from crab feasts to Ravens game suites, while the city imposes new fees amid budget shortfalls.

Story Snapshot

The mayor’s office spent over $890,000 on food, parties, and flowers over three years, according to the February 2026 OIG report.
$230,000 on 468 food transactions, including $52,000 at stadium suites and prohibited alcohol purchases.
$167,000 in unapproved P-card spends; $3,600 farewell party for aide still earning $190,000 annually.
Mayor’s office sues OIG to block probe into $131,000 MONSE spending, raising oversight concerns.
Separate probe into mayor’s wife’s nonprofit questions $100,000+ in taxpayer grants before pause.

OIG Exposes Lavish Taxpayer Spending

Baltimore’s Office of the Inspector General released a report detailing nearly $1 million in P-card purchases from July 2022 to November 2025 across four cards with 2,000 transactions.

Food dominated at $230,000 through 468 purchases, including daily fruit trays, crab cakes, vodka, and $52,000 at Ravens and Orioles suites. Inspector General Isabel Cumming highlighted a severe lack of oversight in over 200 employee cards. This occurred within a $24 million mayoral budget as the city faced gaps.

Mayor of Baltimore spent nearly $1M on lavish perks like crab feasts and tabs at Ravens football games for staffers https://t.co/STaQZnthyg pic.twitter.com/GRS8PcIDLT

— New York Post (@nypost) March 4, 2026

Unapproved Expenses and Policy Violations

The OIG identified $167,000 in unapproved purchases that violated procurement rules. Extravagances included $33,000 on flowers for staff events, popcorn, banana bread pudding, and a $3,600 farewell party with crab balls, salmon, and balloons for an aide who transferred roles but kept her $190,000 salary.

Prohibited alcohol appeared on city cards. Mayor Scott’s office spent $800,000-plus on catering alone, offering cruise-ship perks while imposing resident fees and fines to cut costs.

Mayor’s Defense and Lawsuit Against Watchdog

Lately, Mayor Scott told FOX45 that nothing illegal occurred, and taxpayers approved the spending. He justified suits as a longstanding tradition for firefighters and teachers since the 1990s and 2000s, and flowers for funerals. Scott ignored questions at the farewell party.

Concurrently, his office sued the OIG to block access to Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement records probing $131,000. City solicitor limited OIG via the Maryland Public Information Act stance.

This legal pushback hampers accountability, contrasting with Scott’s calls for fiscal restraint on residents. Power dynamics favor the executive, using lawsuits to shield subunits like MONSE amid procurement failures by the bureau.

They treat our tax dollars as their own ATM's!
Mayor of Baltimore spent nearly $1M on lavish perks like crab feasts and tabs at Ravens football games for staffers https://t.co/qvowmHVJAw

— Ruth Hall (@RuthHal84018141) March 4, 2026

Nepotism Concerns with Wife’s Nonprofit

A January 2026 probe targeted Bmore Empowered, run by Mayor Scott’s wife, Hana Scott, as Director of Operations from 2021 to 2025. The group received over $100,000 in taxpayer grants, including $80,000 from Downtown Partnership and $62,500 from BCYF, plus $34,950 in 2023-2024, before pausing in September 2025. Questions persist on fund repayment. This raises conflict-of-interest flags alongside mayoral spending.

Impacts on Taxpayers and Push for Reforms

Taxpayers bear the $1 million cost, diverting funds from services amid budget debates and perceptions of inequality. Short-term, public trust erodes; long-term, it fuels P-card rule reforms and tensions with OIG.

Politically, it damages Scott’s reelection on crime and budgets, boosting oversight demands. Nationwide, it spotlights municipal waste, aligning with President Trump’s federal spending cuts for efficiency and accountability.