{{short description|American politician (born 1950)}} {{Use American English|date=December 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2020}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Catherine Pugh | image = File:Baltimore Mayor Pugh (2).jpg | alt = Catherine Pugh in 2017 | caption = Pugh in 2017 | office = 51st [[Mayor of Baltimore]] | term_start = December 6, 2016 | term_end = May 2, 2019<br>On leave: April 2, 2019 – May 2, 2019 | predecessor = [[Stephanie Rawlings-Blake]] | successor = [[Jack Young (politician)|Jack Young]] | office1 = Majority Leader of the [[Maryland Senate]] | term_start1 = January 14, 2015 | term_end1 = December 6, 2016 | predecessor1 = [[James N. Robey|James Robey]] | successor1 = [[Douglas J. J. Peters]] | state_senate2 = Maryland | district2 = 40th | term_start2 = January 10, 2007 | term_end2 = December 6, 2016 | predecessor2 = [[Ralph M. Hughes]] | successor2 = [[Barbara A. Robinson]] | state_delegate3 = Maryland | district3 = [[Maryland House of Delegates District 40|40th]] | term_start3 = June 16, 2005 | term_end3 = January 10, 2007 | predecessor3 = [[Tony Fulton (Maryland politician)|Tony Fulton]] | successor3 = [[Shawn Z. Tarrant]] | office4 = Member of the [[Baltimore City Council]]<br/>from the 4th district | term_start4 = January 2000 | term_end4 = December 7, 2004 | predecessor4 = [[Sheila Dixon]] | successor4 = Jack Young | birth_name = Catherine Elizabeth Crump | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1950|3|10}} | birth_place = [[Norristown, Pennsylvania]], U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | party = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] | spouse = {{marriage|Phillip Pugh|1973|1975|end=divorced}} | education = [[Morgan State University]] ([[Bachelor of Science|BS]], [[Master of Business Administration|MBA]]) | module = {{Listen|pos=center|embed=yes|filename=Catherine Pugh addresses members of the U.S. Coast Guard Chapter of Blacks In Government.ogg|title=Pugh's voice|type=speech|description=Pugh addresses members of the [[U.S. Coast Guard]] Chapter of Blacks In Government.<br/>Recorded August 25, 2009}} }} '''Catherine Elizabeth Pugh''' (born March 10, 1950)<ref name="Senator"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://mayor.baltimorecity.gov/node/2003|title=About the Mayor|date=June 26, 2014|website=Former Mayor Catherine E. Pugh|access-date=April 2, 2019|archive-date=April 2, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402051953/https://mayor.baltimorecity.gov/node/2003|url-status=dead}}</ref> is an American former politician who served as the 51st [[List of mayors of Baltimore|mayor of Baltimore]], Maryland's largest city, from 2016 to 2019. She resigned from office amid a scandal that eventually led to criminal charges, three years in prison, and three years [[probation]] in 2020.<ref name=guilty>{{cite news|last1=Broadwater|first1=Luke|last2=Rector|first2=Kevin|title=Former Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh pleads guilty to conspiracy, tax evasion in 'Healthy Holly' book scheme|work=Baltimore Sun|date=November 21, 2019|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/crime/bs-md-pugh-in-court-20191121-2hxa7visr5g7pj42vl3scjh6vi-story.html|access-date=November 21, 2019}}</ref>
Pugh entered in [[Maryland]] politics in 1999, when she was elected to the [[Baltimore City Council]]. She subsequently held office in the [[Maryland House of Delegates]] and the [[Maryland Senate]], serving as the [[Majority Leader]] from 2015 to 2016. Pugh ran for mayor of Baltimore in [[2016 Baltimore mayoral election|2016]] and won the primary against former mayor [[Sheila Dixon]]. Pugh then won the [[2016 Baltimore mayoral election|mayoral election on November 8, 2016]], with 57% of the popular vote, and took office on December 6, 2016.<ref name=Fritze>{{citation|title=How does a Donald Trump administration look in Maryland? In a word, different|first=John|last=Fritze|newspaper=The Baltimore Sun|date=November 9, 2016|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-trump-maryland-20161109-story.html|access-date=November 11, 2016}}</ref>
In 2019, Pugh was accused of involvement in a scandal over a "self-dealing" arrangement in which organizations purchased large quantities of Pugh's books in exchange for contracts with the city.<ref name=":0">{{cite news |url=https://kmph.com/news/nation-world/baltimore-mayor-goes-on-leave-as-book-scandal-intensifies |title=Baltimore mayor goes on leave as 'self-serving' book deal scandal intensifies |date=April 1, 2019 |publisher=[[KMPH-TV]] |first=David |last=McFadden |agency=Associated Press |access-date=April 2, 2019 }}</ref> On May 2, 2019, Pugh resigned as mayor amid the book scandal<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/02/politics/mayor-baltimore-resigns-book-scandal/index.html|title=Mayor of Baltimore resigns amid book scandal|author=Kate Sullivan|website=CNN|date=May 2, 2019 |access-date=May 2, 2019}}</ref> and on November 20, 2019, she was indicted by a [[grand jury]] on eleven counts, including [[tax evasion]], [[fraud]] and [[Conspiracy (criminal)|conspiracy]] in connection with the book transactions.<ref name=indictment>{{cite news|last1=Broadwater|first1=Luke|last2=Rector|first2=Kevin|title=Former Baltimore Mayor Pugh charged with 11 counts of fraud, tax evasion in 'Healthy Holly' book scandal|work=Baltimore Sun|date=November 20, 2019|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/politics/bs-md-pol-pugh-20191120-kzmc2v7cafetjladglhgnyusdy-story.html|access-date=November 20, 2019}}</ref> The following day she signed a [[plea agreement]], pleading guilty to four charges of conspiracy and tax evasion.<ref name=guilty /><ref name="Plea Deal">{{Cite web|url=https://www.wbaltv.com/article/catherine-pugh-indicted-plea-baltimore/29869141|title=Catherine Pugh enters guilty plea for 4 charges in indictment|first=Jayne|last=Miller|date=November 21, 2019|access-date=November 21, 2019|website=WBAL-TV}}</ref> Pugh served two years in federal prison before being released on [[probation]] into a Baltimore [[halfway house]].<ref name=":0b">{{Cite web |last=Hellgren |first=Mike |date=January 26, 2022 |title=Former Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh Released From Prison Early |url=https://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2022/01/26/former-baltimore-mayor-catherine-pugh-released-from-prison-early/ |work=[[WJZ-TV]] |location=Baltimore, MD}}</ref>
== Early life and education == Catherine Pugh was born as Catherine Crump on March 10, 1950, in [[Norristown, Pennsylvania]], the second of seven children born to James and Addie Crump.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=January 2017 |first=Amy Mulvihill {{!}} |date=2017-01-09 |title=The Lady in Waiting |url=https://www.baltimoremagazine.com/section/community/the-lady-in-waiting-mayor-catherine-pugh-lands-her-dream-job/ |access-date=2024-10-06 |website=Baltimore Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref> She was raised in [[Philadelphia]] with her seven siblings<ref name="phillytrib">{{cite news |last1=Bell |first1=Daryl |date=November 15, 2016 |title=From Overbrook High to Baltimore's next mayor |url=http://www.phillytrib.com/news/from-overbrook-high-to-baltimore-s-next-mayor/article_468186e0-72fe-59bb-bb53-13a8cba4d284.html |access-date=March 17, 2017 |work=The Philadelphia Tribune |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Senator" /> and graduated from [[Overbrook High School (Philadelphia)|Overbrook High School]] in 1967.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Bell |first1=Daryl |date=November 15, 2016 |title=From Overbrook High to Baltimore's next mayor |url=https://www.phillytrib.com/news/from-overbrook-high-to-baltimore-s-next-mayor/article_468186e0-72fe-59bb-bb53-13a8cba4d284.html |access-date=April 9, 2019 |website=The Philadelphia Tribune |language=en}}</ref>
=== Morgan State University === Pugh attended [[Morgan State University]] in [[Baltimore]], [[Maryland]], graduating in 1973 with a [[Bachelor of Science]]. In 1977, she earned [[Master of Business Administration]] from Morgan State University.<ref name="baltimoresun.com" /><ref name=":0" /> She is a member of the [[Delta Sigma Theta]] sorority.<ref name="Senator">{{cite web|title=Baltimore City, Maryland Executive Branch: Catherine E. Pugh, Mayor (Democrat)|url=http://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/36loc/bcity/html/msa14413.html|website=Maryland Manual On-Line|publisher=Maryland State Archives|access-date=March 17, 2017|date=December 12, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Reutter|first1=Mark|last2=Gunts|first2=Ed|title=Catherine Pugh Opens Her Campaign Office for Mayor|url=https://www.baltimorebrew.com/2015/12/12/catherine-pugh-opens-her-campaign-office-for-mayor/|access-date=March 17, 2017|work=Baltimore Brew|date=December 12, 2015}}</ref>
==Early career== After graduation from Morgan State, Pugh began working as a branch manager for [[Equitable Bank|Equitable Trust Bank]].<ref name=":2" /> Pugh got her start in government in 1975 when she joined the administration of Mayor [[William Donald Schaefer]] as the director of the Citizen's Involvement Program.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Broadwater |first=Luke |date=2020-02-26 |title=From a leader during the unrest to another disgraced politician: Ex-Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh to be sentenced Thursday |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2020/02/26/from-a-leader-during-the-unrest-to-another-disgraced-politician-ex-baltimore-mayor-catherine-pugh-to-be-sentenced-thursday/ |access-date=2024-10-07 |website=Baltimore Sun |language=en-US}}</ref> In 1977, Pugh began teaching Marketing and Introduction to Business at [[Morgan State University]].<ref name="Memo">{{cite web |author1=Silverman, Thompson, Slutkin & White |title=Pugh Defense Sentencing |url=https://htv-prod-media.s3.amazonaws.com/files/pugh-defense-sentencing-memo-1581701869.pdf |date=February 14, 2020}}</ref> In 1988, Pugh founded a public relations firm, Pugh and Company.<ref>{{cite news|title=Who is Catherine Pugh?|url=http://www.abc2news.com/news/region/baltimore-city/who-is-catherine-pugh|access-date=March 17, 2017|work=[[WMAR-TV]]|date=December 6, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170318000013/http://www.abc2news.com/news/region/baltimore-city/who-is-catherine-pugh|archive-date=March 18, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> From the mid-1980s to the early 1990s, she was an independent editor for ''[[The Baltimore Sun]]'' and dean and director of [[Strayer Business College]] in Baltimore.<ref name="experience">{{cite news|last=Wenger|first=Yvonne|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/2016-mayor-race/bs-md-ci-pugh-profile-20160325-story.html|title=Catherine Pugh says experience and energy set her apart in mayoral race|work=The Baltimore Sun|date=March 25, 2016|access-date=April 27, 2016}}</ref>
In 1994, she returned to Philadelphia and became vice president of Brunson Communications and co-owner of a local [[Delaware Valley]] TV station, [[WGTW-TV]],<ref>{{cite news|last1=OBrien|first1=Robert|title=State Sen. Catherine Pugh on Community Policing, Property Taxes, and Her Run for Mayor|url=http://www.baltimorefishbowl.com/stories/catherine-pugh-big-fish/|access-date=March 17, 2017|work=Baltimore Fishbowl|date=January 4, 2016}}</ref> where she was the host of "Another View", a weekly public affairs program that focused on policy issues within the black community and featured interviews with community leaders and public officials.<ref name="phillytrib" />
==Political career== ===Baltimore City Council=== In 1999 Pugh was elected to the [[Baltimore City Council]], where she served until 2004.<ref name="Senator" /> She ran for president of the council in 2003 and finished the Democratic primary with 30% of the vote, but lost to [[Sheila Dixon]] who earned 54%.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2003 Baltimore City Primary Election Results |url=https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/baltimore/2003_primary.html |access-date=2024-10-06 |website=elections.maryland.gov}}</ref>
During her tenure on city council, Pugh created a [[public art]] project in which fish sculptures were placed around the city, and helped to found the [[Baltimore Marathon]].<ref name=":2" />
===Maryland General Assembly=== [[File:State Of The State Reception (24719847061).jpg|thumb|Pugh with [[Larry Hogan|Governor Hogan]] at the 2016 State of the State Reception]] In 2005, [[Bob Ehrlich|Governor Bob Ehrlich]] appointed Pugh to an open seat in the [[Maryland House of Delegates]] for the 40th district, where she served from June 21, 2005, to January 10, 2007.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Maryland Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. ~ 2005 Press Release ~ Governor Ehrlich Appoints Pugh to House of Delegates |url=https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc5300/sc5339/000113/001000/001017/unrestricted/20052286e.html |access-date=2024-10-06 |website=msa.maryland.gov}}</ref> She then won a seat in the [[State Senate]] for the same district and served there from January 10, 2007, to December 6, 2016. She ran unopposed in the 2010 and 2014 Senate elections.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2010 General Election Results |url=https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/2010/results/General/gen_detail_results_2010_2_BOT01540.html |access-date=2024-10-07 |website=elections.maryland.gov}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=2014 Election Results |url=https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/2014/results/primary/gen_results_2014_1_01540.html |access-date=2024-10-07 |website=elections.maryland.gov}}</ref> While serving, she sat on the Finance Committee and served as the State Senate [[Majority Leader]]. Pugh was the president of the [[National Black Caucus of State Legislators]] from 2015 to 2016. She was also chair of the [[Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland]] and the Women's Caucus of Legislators in Maryland from 2005 to 2007.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Catherine E. Pugh, Mayor, Baltimore, Maryland |url=https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/36loc/bcity/former/html/msa14413.html |access-date=2024-10-06 |website=msa.maryland.gov}}</ref>
As Majority Leader, Pugh led the state on cyber security and telemedicine expansion legislation. Pugh is also responsible for diversifying the state's $40 billion pension portfolio, having led the passage of Senate Bill 606, which increased black and other minority managed dollars from $300 million to $4.2 billion.<ref name="Report">{{cite web | url=http://www.umd.edu/Flagship2020/pdf/economic_development.pdf | title=Report of the Maryland Economic Development and Business Climate Commission | publisher=Department of Legislative Services Office of Policy Analysis Annapolis, Maryland | date=February 2015 | access-date=April 26, 2016 | author1=Guy, Sally M. | author2=Sprinkle Jody J. | display-authors=etal | pages=56 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160630150911/http://www.umd.edu/Flagship2020/pdf/economic_development.pdf | archive-date=June 30, 2016 | url-status=dead }}</ref> She also passed legislation allowing Baltimore City to offer $2,500 in property tax relief to public safety officers who work and own a home in Baltimore City.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Council to introduce legislation to help boost number of public safety officers living in Baltimore City {{!}} Baltimore City Council |url=https://www.baltimorecitycouncil.com/content/council-introduce-legislation-help-boost-number-public-safety-officers-living-baltimore-city |access-date=2024-10-06 |website=www.baltimorecitycouncil.com}}</ref>
In 2011 while still serving as senator for district 40, Pugh and [[Maryland Institute College of Art|Maryland Institute of College of Art]] (MICA) President Fred Lazarus founded the [[Baltimore Design School]], the first design school in Maryland to serve middle and high school students.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Green |first=Erica L. |date=2013-08-26 |title=The Baltimore Design School — a blueprint for transformation — opens |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2013/08/26/the-baltimore-design-school-a-blueprint-for-transformation-opens-2/ |access-date=2024-10-07 |website=Baltimore Sun |language=en-US}}</ref> Pugh first ran for mayor in [[2011 Baltimore mayoral election|2011]] but lost the primary to [[Stephanie Rawlings-Blake]] after only receiving 25% of the votes.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2011 Baltimore City Official Mayoral Primary Election Results |url=https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/baltimore/2011_primary_results.html |access-date=2024-10-07 |website=elections.maryland.gov}}</ref>
===2016 Baltimore mayoral campaign=== {{Main|2016 Baltimore mayoral election}} In 2015, Pugh entered the race for [[mayor of Baltimore]] and launched her campaign headquarters in the city.<ref>{{citation|title=Pugh Opens Campaign Headquarters, Officially Launches Bid For Mayor|first=Yvonne|last=Wenger|date=December 12, 2015|newspaper=The Baltimore Sun|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/2016-mayor-race/bs-md-ci-pugh-20151212-story.html}}</ref> Initially she was an underdog to former mayor [[Sheila Dixon]]. The endorsement of Congressman [[Elijah Cummings]] in April 2016 significantly boosted her campaigning efforts.<ref>{{citation|title=Elijah Cummings endorses Catherine Pugh for Baltimore mayor|first=Yvonne|last=Wenger|date=April 12, 2016|newspaper=The Baltimore Sun|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/2016-mayor-race/bs-md-ci-cummings-endorses-pugh-20160412-story.html}}</ref> Pugh won the Democratic primary, with 37% of the vote to Dixon's 34%. The Democratic primary has long been the real contest in Baltimore, where Democrats outnumber Republicans 10-to-1, so Pugh was overwhelmingly favored in the general election.<ref>{{citation|first1=Luke|last1=Broadwater|first2=Yvonne|last2=Wenger|title=Catherine Pugh defeats Sheila Dixon in Democratic primary of Baltimore mayor's race|date=April 27, 2016|newspaper=The Baltimore Sun|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/2016-mayor-race/bs-md-ci-mayor-0427-20160425-story.html}}</ref> She won the November 8 general election with 57% of the vote, and resigned as state senator before taking office on December 6, 2016.<ref name=Fritze/>
===Mayor of Baltimore=== Pugh succeeded Stephanie Rawlings-Blake as Baltimore's 51st mayor. As mayor, she inherited several issues from the Rawlings-Blake administration. Pugh prioritized the [[United States Department of Justice]] investigation into the [[Baltimore Police Department]] following the [[death of Freddie Gray]], before the [[first inauguration of Donald Trump|2017 inauguration of Donald Trump]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Broadwater|first1=Luke|title=Pugh sets goal of completing DOJ police agreement before Trump takes office|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/bs-md-ci-pugh-doj-20161220-story.html|access-date=March 17, 2017|work=The Baltimore Sun|date=December 20, 2016|archive-date=January 26, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170126183459/http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/bs-md-ci-pugh-doj-20161220-story.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Stolberg|first1=Sheryl Gay|last2=Williams|first2=Timothy|title=Obama Races to Overhaul Police in Baltimore and Chicago Before Trump Era|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/10/us/police-racial-bias-baltimore-chicago-obama-trump.html?_r=0|access-date=March 17, 2017|work=The New York Times|date=January 10, 2017}}</ref> In April 2017, Judge [[James K. Bredar]] approved the [[consent decree]] signed by Pugh and former acting U.S. Assistant Attorney General [[Vanita Gupta]], rejecting an objection by new U.S. Attorney General [[Jeff Sessions]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Victor|first1=Daniel|title=Judge Approves Consent Decree to Overhaul Baltimore Police Dept.|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/07/us/baltimore-justice-department-police-consent-decree.html|access-date=April 10, 2017|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=April 8, 2017|page=A18}}</ref>
Additional issues the Pugh administration faced included Baltimore's crime levels, vacant housing and revitalization development, and the cancellation of the [[Baltimore Red Line]] and launch of Governor [[Larry Hogan]]'s [[Maryland Transit Administration|BaltimoreLink]] bus system overhaul. Despite supporting it during her campaign, Pugh vetoed a bill to increase Baltimore's minimum wage to $15 per hour over five years, citing concerns about businesses moving out of the city and adverse effects on nonprofits and small businesses. Ricarra Jones, chairwoman of the [[Fight for $15]] Baltimore Coalition, responded to the veto, "As a state senator, Mayor Pugh was a strong supporter of a livable minimum wage and explicitly promised to sign the Baltimore wage bill as mayor. Today, she has made clear that promises are made to be broken."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/politics/bs-md-ci-pugh-minimum-wage-20170324-story.html|title=Pugh vetoes bill that would raise Baltimore minimum wage|first=Yvonne|last=Wenger|website=The Baltimore Sun|date=March 24, 2017|access-date=April 2, 2019|archive-date=April 2, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402053243/https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/politics/bs-md-ci-pugh-minimum-wage-20170324-story.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
In July 2017, Pugh along with other city leaders announced a mandatory one-year sentence for illegal possession of a gun in many parts of Baltimore. The move was seen as an attempt to address the city's soaring violence rate.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/crime/bs-md-ci-gun-possession-20170714-story.html|title=Baltimore leaders propose mandatory sentence for illegal gun possession|last=Broadwater|first=Kevin Rector, Luke|work=The Baltimore Sun|access-date=August 3, 2017|language=en-US|archive-date=August 3, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170803174832/http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/crime/bs-md-ci-gun-possession-20170714-story.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> The Baltimore city council voted to amend the legislation to only apply if it was a person's second offense or if the gun was connected to an already committed crime.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Duncan |first=Ian |date=2017-07-25 |title=Baltimore City Council committee guts proposal to create mandatory sentence for gun offenders |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2017/07/25/baltimore-city-council-committee-guts-proposal-to-create-mandatory-sentence-for-gun-offenders/ |access-date=2024-10-07 |website=Baltimore Sun |language=en-US}}</ref>
During her tenure as mayor, Pugh pursued several policies in trying to reduce opioid deaths in the city. In February 2018, Pugh issued a standing order that allowed any Baltimore resident to get [[naloxone]], the antidote that reverses an opioid overdose, without a prescription and in March, Pugh helped establish the Baltimore City Stabilization Center, the first 24/7 [[Urgent care center|urgent care facility]] dedicated to issues of addiction and [[Opioid use disorder|opioid use]] in Baltimore City.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pugh |first=Catherine E. |last2=Wen |first2=Leana S. |date=2018-05-01 |title=Baltimore brings hospitals into the fight against opioid addiction |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2018/05/01/baltimore-brings-hospitals-into-the-fight-against-opioid-addiction/ |access-date=2024-10-07 |website=Baltimore Sun |language=en-US}}</ref>
In August 2018, Pugh ordered the removal of the [[Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee Monument]] in [[Wyman Park, Baltimore|Wyman Park]] as she believed it posed a "risk to public safety".<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-08-16 |title=One year since Baltimore’s Confederate monuments were removed in the night, the issues they raised remain |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2018/08/16/one-year-since-baltimores-confederate-monuments-were-removed-in-the-night-the-issues-they-raised-remain/ |access-date=2024-10-07 |website=Baltimore Sun |language=en-US}}</ref> In May 2018, Pugh established a $55 million fund to boost investment in struggling city neighborhoods, financed by leasing city-owned garages called the Neighborhood Impact Investment Fund.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bednar |first=Adam |date=2018-05-02 |title=Baltimore mayor plans $55M neighborhood investment fund |url=https://thedailyrecord.com/2018/05/02/pugh-baltimore-investment-fund-neighborhoods/ |access-date=2024-10-07 |website=Maryland Daily Record |language=en-US}}</ref>
===''Healthy Holly'' scandal=== [[File:Catherine Pugh holds a Healthy Holly book.jpg|thumb|Catherine Pugh holds a ''Healthy Holly'' book.]] In 2019, Pugh was involved in a scheme in which several organizations purchased large quantities of her children's books in exchange for contracts with the city. In March 2019, Pugh agreed to accept $500,000 from the [[University of Maryland Medical System]] while serving as a trustee to purchase her ''Healthy Holly'' [[self-published]] books to donate to Baltimore schoolchildren. This no-bid payment was controversial because the years of payments coincided with her tenure as head of a health committee in the Maryland State Senate and as mayor of Baltimore. She did not disclose the payments or recuse herself from votes and decisions involving the medical system. Maryland legislative leaders pledged to reform the medical center's practice of giving large contracts to trustees due to the conflict it poses to their decision-making, which includes approving a $4 million salary to the institution's CEO.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-pugh-books-disclosure-20190315-story.html|title=Baltimore Mayor Pugh amends financial disclosure filings amid scrutiny over book sales to UMMS hospital system|first=Doug Donovan, Talia|last=Richman|website=The Baltimore Sun|access-date=March 17, 2019|archive-date=April 21, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190421130529/https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-pugh-books-disclosure-20190315-story.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Pugh received $500,000 from the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) for 100,000 copies of her books. However, the firm printing the publication confirmed it had printed only 60,000 copies.<ref name=":3" />
Pugh initially said that the payments from the University of Maryland Medical System were her only book sales, but on April 1, 2019, the ''Baltimore Sun'' reported that [[Kaiser Permanente]] paid more than $100,000 for copies of the book, and a nonprofit called Associated Black Charities paid Pugh's organization nearly $80,000 for copies of the book. Both organizations do business with the city of Baltimore. Associated Black Charities in turn resold some of its copies to other organizations, including CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, another Baltimore insurer.<ref name=":3">{{cite news |title=Kaiser Permanente, Associated Black Charities paid Baltimore Mayor Pugh almost $200K for 'Healthy Holly' books |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/bs-md-ci-kaiser-deal-20190401-story.html |access-date=April 3, 2019 |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=2019 |archive-date=April 2, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402204742/https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/bs-md-ci-kaiser-deal-20190401-story.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Williams |first1=Timothy |title=Baltimore Mayor Announces Leave of Absence Amid Children's Book Scandal |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/01/us/catherine-pugh-healthy-holly-book-scandal.html |access-date=April 3, 2019 |work=The New York Times |date=April 1, 2019}}</ref>
=== Resignation and criminal charges === In April 2019 amid the ongoing scandal, Pugh announced she was taking an indefinite leave of absence to recover from [[pneumonia]]. On April 8, 2019, all members of the [[Baltimore City Council]] signed a memorandum calling for Pugh to resign as mayor.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-ci-council-pugh-resign-20190407-story.html|title=Baltimore City Council calls on Mayor Pugh to resign; she says she intends to return|last=Donovan|first=Luke Broadwater, Ian Duncan, Doug|website=The Baltimore Sun|language=en-US|access-date=April 9, 2019|archive-date=April 8, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190408113510/https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-ci-council-pugh-resign-20190407-story.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Pugh maintained that she intended to return to office following her leave of absence.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Council calls for Pugh to resign as Young settles in for the long haul |url=https://www.baltimorebrew.com/2019/04/08/council-calls-for-pugh-to-resign-as-young-settles-in-for-the-long-haul/ |access-date=2024-10-06 |website=Baltimore Brew |language=en-us}}</ref> On April 25, 2019, while Pugh was still on her leave of absence, FBI and IRS agents raided six locations, including two houses owned by Pugh, Baltimore City Hall, and a nonprofit organization on whose board Pugh served.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/bs-md-ci-baltimore-20190424-story.html|title=FBI raids Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh's City Hall office, her two houses, as governor calls on her to resign|last=Broadwater|first=Ian Duncan, Luke|website=The Baltimore Sun|language=en-US|access-date=April 29, 2019|archive-date=April 28, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190428205605/https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/bs-md-ci-baltimore-20190424-story.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
On May 2, 2019, Pugh resigned as Mayor of Baltimore.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/baltimore-mayor-catherine-pugh-resigns-11556825577|first=Scott|last=Calvert|date=May 2, 2019|access-date=May 2, 2019|work=The Wall Street Journal|title=Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh Resigns}}</ref> On November 20, 2019, she was indicted by a grand jury on 11 counts of fraud, tax evasion, and conspiracy in connection with the ''Healthy Holly'' book transactions.<ref name=indictment /> The following day she signed a plea agreement, admitting guilt on four counts of tax evasion and conspiracy.<ref name=guilty /><ref name="Plea Deal" />
==== Sentencing ==== On February 27, 2020, Pugh was sentenced to three years in prison to be followed by three years of probation.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Schwartzman |first=Paul |date=2020-02-28 |title=Former Baltimore mayor Catherine Pugh sentenced to 3 years prison in ‘Healthy Holly’ case |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/former-baltimore-mayor-catherine-pugh-to-be-sentenced-in-healthy-holly-scandal/2020/02/26/6a20c9dc-58c6-11ea-9b35-def5a027d470_story.html |access-date=2024-10-07 |work=Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Cole |first=Devan |date=2020-02-27 |title=Ex-Baltimore mayor sentenced to 3 years in prison for role in children’s book deal scandal {{!}} CNN Politics |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/27/politics/catherine-pugh-sentencing-hearing-baltimore-mayor/index.html |access-date=2024-10-07 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref> U.S. District Judge [[Deborah K. Chasanow]] ordered Pugh to pay $412,000 in restitution. Additionally, Pugh will forfeit nearly $670,000, including her Ashburton home and the remaining balance of her campaign account totaling $17,800. Pugh has also agreed that all copies of ''Healthy Holly'' in government custody will be destroyed.<ref name=":0a">{{Cite web |last=Fenton |first=Luke Broadwater, Justin |date=February 27, 2020 |title=Former Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh sentenced to 3 years for 'Healthy Holly' children's book fraud scheme |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/politics/bs-md-pol-pugh-sentenced-20200227-7yffn67n2nhfbmzhjdo4pzomku-story.html |access-date=2020-02-27 |website=The Baltimore Sun}}</ref> She was granted several extensions to delay the start of her prison sentence.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Pugh's Request To Delay Prison Start Granted By Judge|url=https://www.wbal.com/article/440170/178/pughs-request-to-delay-prison-start-granted-by-judge|website=[[WBAL (AM)|WBAL]]|date=March 10, 2020 |language=en|access-date=2020-05-14}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Former Mayor Catherine Pugh Granted 60-Day Extension To Report To Prison|url=https://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2020/04/09/catherine-pugh-prison-report-date-extension-latest/|work=[[WJZ-TV]]|location=Baltimore|date=2020-04-09|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-14}}</ref> On June 26, 2020, Pugh reported to prison at [[Federal Correctional Institution, Aliceville]], Alabama.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Baker|first=Nicole|date=2020-06-26|title=Former Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh Reports To Federal Prison In Alabama For Three-Year Sentence|url=https://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2020/06/26/catherine-pugh-reports-to-federal-prison-in-alabama-latest/|work=[[WJZ-TV]]|location=Baltimore|access-date=2020-06-26|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-06-26 |title=Former Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh reports to federal prison. What can she expect? |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2020/06/26/former-baltimore-mayor-catherine-pugh-reports-to-federal-prison-what-can-she-expect/ |access-date=2024-10-07 |website=Baltimore Sun |language=en-US}}</ref> Pugh was released from prison around the beginning of January 2022 and transferred to a Baltimore [[halfway house]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-01-26 |title=Former Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh transferred from Alabama federal prison to reentry program |url=https://www.capitalgazette.com/2022/01/26/former-baltimore-mayor-catherine-pugh-transferred-from-alabama-federal-prison-to-reentry-program/ |access-date=2024-10-07 |website=Capital Gazette |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Personal life== Pugh married her husband Phillip in 1973, and they divorced two years later; she has no children.<ref name="Memo" /> She lives in Baltimore's [[Ashburton, Baltimore|Ashburton]] neighborhood in the [[Forest Park, Baltimore|Forest Park]] area of Northwest Baltimore City.<ref name="baltimoresun.com">{{cite news|last1=Wenger|first1=Yvonne|last2=Broadwater|first2=Luke|date=December 6, 2016|title=Catherine Pugh sworn in as Baltimore's 50th mayor|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/politics/bs-md-ci-mayor-inauguration-20161206-story.html|access-date=January 7, 2017|newspaper=The Baltimore Sun|archive-date=December 24, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161224100934/http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/politics/bs-md-ci-mayor-inauguration-20161206-story.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
A runner and fitness enthusiast, Pugh has written a series of children's health books<ref name=phillytrib/> called ''Mind Garden: Where Thoughts Grow'' and ''Healthy Holly'', which advocate exercise and healthy eating.<ref name=pughforbaltimore/> She is also the founder of several Baltimore community programs, such as the Fish Out of Water Project, an initiative that promotes tourism in Baltimore City to raise money for arts programs for local youth<ref name=pughforbaltimore>{{cite web|title=About Pugh: Giving Back to the Community|url=https://pughforbaltimore.com/about-pugh/|website=Catherine Pugh Mayor|access-date=March 17, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170317144005/https://pughforbaltimore.com/about-pugh/|archive-date=March 17, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> and the Need to Read Campaign, a program designed to help Baltimore residents improve their reading skills.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Catherine Pugh opens her campaign office for mayor |url=https://www.baltimorebrew.com/2015/12/12/catherine-pugh-opens-her-campaign-office-for-mayor/ |access-date=2024-10-06 |website=Baltimore Brew |language=en-us}}</ref>
==See also== * [[List of mayors of Baltimore]]
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category}} {{Wikiquote}} * {{cite web |title=The Transition Office of Catherine Pugh |url=https://pughforbaltimore.com/ |website=pughforbaltimore.com |access-date=March 4, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171004110527/https://pughforbaltimore.com/ |archive-date=October 4, 2017 |date=2017}} * {{C-SPAN|100012}}
{{s-start}} {{s-par|us-md-sen}} {{s-bef|before=[[James N. Robey|James Robey]]}} {{s-ttl|title=Majority Leader of the [[Maryland Senate]]|years=2015–2016}} {{s-aft|after=[[Douglas J. J. Peters]]}} |- {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before=[[Stephanie Rawlings-Blake]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[List of mayors of Baltimore|Mayor of Baltimore]]|years=2016–2019}} {{s-aft|after=[[Bernard C. Young]]}} {{s-end}}
{{BaltimoreMayors |state=collapsed}} {{Authority control}}
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