Baltimore Mayor Scott Faces Scrutiny Over Email Joke Amid Records Battle

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott has stirred controversy after joking that he keeps his government email account empty to prevent scrutiny, a remark that has taken on added significance due to his administration's ongoing legal battle concerning public records.

During an October 21 meeting of Baltimore's Board of Estimates, officials were discussing the security of government computer systems. "You can have my email because there are no emails there," Scott told City Council President Zeke Cohen. "The only way to protect your email is to not email." The comments raised questions about whether the mayor was deliberately avoiding creating an electronic record of official business.

Scott, however, insisted the remarks were made in jest. "What you saw at the BOE [meeting] is me saying something in jest to the council president," he stated during a news conference. "As you know, there's a lot of banter between myself and [Comptroller Bill Henry]. But more importantly, this is the reality of it: Yes, when appropriate, I use email."

The Baltimore Brew highlighted the exchange, fueling scrutiny of the mayor's communication practices amid his administration's contentious relationship with Inspector General Isabel Mercedes Cumming. Scott dismissed the criticism as "ridiculous," asserting, "Because clearly, if you guys constantly get my emails I use email."

His office regularly disseminates messages regarding public appearances and city business, though this does not detail the frequency of the mayor's personal email correspondence. Scott maintains a preference for direct communication with city employees and residents over extensive written exchanges. "I like to communicate with people directly, be that my agencies, be that the folks that work in our departments, be that our residents," he explained. "But we're talking about using the appropriate communication at the appropriate time."

Scott also suggested that managing official inboxes is commonly delegated by senior politicians. "Every mayor, at least since 1996 when they had the internet, has had other folks manning their e-mail account because too many emails come in for one person to manage," he said. He denied using his personal email for city business, though he acknowledged updating his private calendar for his wife.

The mayor's comments emerged against the backdrop of a months-long dispute between his administration and Cumming's Office of Inspector General over access to government computer systems. The conflict escalated after city officials revoked the watchdog's access to municipal records, leading Cumming's office to pursue legal action. Court proceedings revealed that Scott's administration had significantly redacted documents and pursued appeals, delaying record releases.

Scott has defended his administration's stance, citing concerns that unrestricted access could compromise confidential government communications without adequate safeguards. In September, he accused the inspector general's office of overstepping its authority, claiming the IG "was misusing that unfettered access to surveil people's emails, to secretly look through draft budget documents... and snooping in on privileged legal advice."

These allegations are contested within the ongoing legal proceedings. Baltimore Circuit Judge Pamela White ordered the restoration of the watchdog's access, which was reinstated at the end of September. The exchange about email security occurred during a separate discussion about the city's Information Technology Department's access privileges.

City Chief Information Officer T.J. Mayotte acknowledged that individuals with high-level access could potentially review sensitive information undetected. Comptroller Bill Henry questioned Mayotte about whether individuals outside the IT department, including those working for senior city officials, had access to other employees' records, to which Mayotte responded no.

While Cumming and her investigators were not directly mentioned during the IT discussion, the conversation took place weeks after the court-ordered reinstatement of their access to city systems.