Article Responding To:
It’s hard for taxpayers to stomach!
The Baltimore mayor’s office spent more than $890,000 on lavish meals and parties — including crab feasts, catered “farewell” bashes and massive tabs at Ravens football games, according to a report Wednesday.
Mayor Brandon Scott’s administration blew taxpayer cash on over-the-top perks for staffers — including $52,589 on grub in the Mayoral Suite at Ravens and Orioles games — in a gross violation of the city’s “public funds” rules, according to baltimorebrew.com.
One of the elaborate meals was served at a $3,636 farewell “office party” for Scott’s former campaign manager Marvin James, which featured a $324 balloon arch, a $217 cake and a $2,600 catered spread with crab balls and grilled salmon in March 2025, according to the outlet.
James, however, didn’t actually leave City Hall and is still on the payroll as the mayor’s $190,000-plus-a-year senior adviser.
In total, the office spent $801,839 on meals and catering, $42,691 on floral arrangements and funeral services, and $45,646 “unreconciled” expenses between July 2022 and November 2025, according to the outlet.
At least 336 of the “P-card” transactions violated city rules, which require a waiver to use public funds “for any social functions or activities” without the express approval of the Bureau of Purchasing, Cumming notes in the report.
“[The watchdog] found that taxpayer funds were used for floral purchases for events, employee celebrations, recognition, baby arrivals, funerals bereavement and condolence,” the report states.
When the purchasing bureau denied the mayor’s office’s request to use taxpayer money to host an annual crab feast, the mayor’s office went to finance director Michael Mocksten, who approved the event, according to the report.
Response:
In December of 2022 then Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, was transitioning out of office. Governor Hogan was still concerned about the Sates “financial footing” so he had $5 Billion Dollars that the State had received from the government put in the States “Reserves”.
Governor Hogan warned about the “Financial Pitfalls” the State was facing coming down the pipeline..
So January of 2023 when the Moore Administration, came to power. Governor Moore had made “big promises” to many to get their support in 2022 to get elected Governor, and he definitely appears he has “kept those promises”….
Governor Moore set the “tone” on his Administration’s spending his 1st day in office by releasing funds, that Governor Hogan was holding up.
From there til January 8th 2025, Governor Moore went “Fast and Furious” on Spending on the Kirwan Blueprint, “Boondoggle” Energy and Transportation projects, an initiative to “End Child Poverty” in the State, and “mass hiring” of State employees….
B April of 2024 “big problems” were “abrewing” out of Annapolis.. as reported in Maryland Matters…
“Barnes and others in the House said looming budget gaps of an estimated $3 billion in the coming years — driven by the Blueprint — and another $3 billion shortfall over five years for highway and road demanded a resolution this year.
The operating budget shortfalls in the next few years have been described by legislative analysts as something not seen since the Great Recession.” Maryland Matters 04-03-2024
Well by January 8th, 2025 after inheriting $5 Billion Dollars in the State’s reserves 2 years prior, the State had been run into a ditch of $3 Billion Dollars in the hole. The next day January 9th 2025 did the Moore Administration work on trying to get spending under control? Oh no everyone instead his Administration gave away a $Billion dollars at the Board of Public Works Meeting, repeat they gave away another Billion dollars, 1 day later….
Now we look at issues between the State Spending and in Baltimore City. Questions are being asked to the Moore Administration, how much money has the State given to “Non Profits?” Something the Moore Administration couldn’t answer, did we get answers from Governor Moore’s Chief of Staff or the Budget Secretary?… oh we did in mid 2025 they both announced they were leaving the Administration from their respective positions.
It’s been reported about issues with Non Profits in Baltimore “not in good standing” that were receiving millions of dollars, one of them linked to Mayor Scott’s wife..
Even the cost of Mayor Scott’s newley city vehicle, is getting much criticism and scrutiny..
With all of this and the issues at Marylands DHS with a potential snap benefit scandal something the Moore Administration has gone quiet on , and the recent resignation of Secretary Lopez. With the OIG’S office in Baltimore City getting “stonewalled” by the Mayor’s office. With recent findings of a State employee who Governor Moore said was “handling audits” turns out there are no audits this employee has done…
With what we have seen in Minnesota with Somali Fraud, it would seem the State of Maryland could very possibly going in the Same direction. There are 2 solutions the Legislature in Annapolis should pass Delegate Ryan Nawrocki’s bill to create a “Statewide” inspector general’s office. In addition The DOJ / FBI should start investigating these things, sadly it appears we are not getting good governance from the States top elected leaders…
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