Baltimore’s Office of Inspector General has filed suit against Mayor Brandon Scott, alleging his administration is withholding records tied to possible fraud, financial waste, and abuse within city government.

Inspector General Isabel Cumming’s office filed the complaint Tuesday in local court, claiming the mayor’s refusal to provide payroll data from the Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (MONSE) is obstructing an active investigation. MONSE was created by Scott in 2020 as part of the city’s gun violence reduction strategy.

According to the lawsuit, the administration previously provided documents without issue but reversed course in 2025 during Cumming’s current probe. The complaint alleges the city released heavily redacted records and argued that state law limits the inspector general’s access to certain information.

“The City’s position disregards the plain language of the City Charter and the independence enshrined upon the [inspector general’s office] through the will of the people,” the lawsuit states, adding that the lack of access prevents the office from carrying out its duties.

Scott has defended the decision, stating earlier this month that the administration’s actions comply with Maryland law. In a statement to the Daily Caller News Foundation, his office said the mayor remains committed to transparency and to an inspector general’s office that operates within legal boundaries, while declining to comment directly on the pending litigation.

The dispute comes amid broader scrutiny over government spending in Maryland. A December report from the state’s Office of Personnel Services and Benefits found that excessive overtime and other missteps among public employees cost taxpayers millions of dollars.

In response to the standoff, Maryland lawmakers introduced legislation Tuesday that would clarify the inspector general’s authority and make such document requests explicitly exempt from the state law cited by the mayor’s office.

The court battle now places Baltimore’s Democratic mayor and the city’s independent watchdog in a direct legal clash over oversight powers and access to public records.