Mayor Scott says no laws were broken after inspector general flags procurement-card policy violations

Inspector general review focuses on process compliance, documentation and controls for city “P-cards”

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott has said “nothing illegal was done” following a recent Office of the Inspector General (OIG) report that found repeated violations of city policy governing procurement cards, commonly known as “P-cards.” The report examined spending and documentation practices within the mayor’s office over a multi-year period and concluded that required approvals were frequently missing for purchases charged to city accounts.

The OIG review covered transactions from July 1, 2022, through Nov. 17, 2025. It found that mayor’s office personnel failed to submit required waiver requests for 336 P-card transactions totaling $167,455.06. Under city rules, certain purchases—particularly those tied to social functions or employee-related events—must receive pre-approval through a waiver process before public funds are used.

What the report found

The spending identified as out of compliance centered largely on food and catering, and included expenses associated with office events and use of the mayoral suite at professional sports venues. The report cited $52,588.78 spent on food and beverages in connection with Baltimore Orioles and Baltimore Ravens games. More broadly, investigators characterized the policy failures as involving absent waivers, delayed reconciliations and purchases of items that are restricted without approval.

City P-cards are widely used across municipal government. The OIG noted that since June 2022, Baltimore has recorded roughly $36 million in P-card transactions citywide, with the report’s findings narrowing in on a subset connected to the mayor’s office.

• Time frame reviewed: July 2022 to Nov. 2025
• Transactions lacking required waivers: 336
• Total flagged amount: $167,455.06
• Sports-venue suite food and beverage cited: $52,588.78

Mayor’s response and the legal-versus-policy distinction

Scott’s public response drew a line between potential criminal wrongdoing and noncompliance with administrative requirements. The mayor has framed the findings as failures in filing and documentation rather than deliberate misuse of funds, while emphasizing that practices were being corrected.

“Nothing illegal was done here,” Scott said when asked about the report’s conclusions.

Oversight dispute expands beyond P-cards

The report surfaced amid a broader conflict over OIG access to city records. The inspector general has taken legal action seeking clearer authority to obtain documents needed for audits and investigations, a dispute that has also prompted legislative attention in Annapolis. The access fight has become a parallel issue to the spending review, affecting how quickly and completely oversight staff can verify transactions and enforce compliance.

The OIG report recommends stronger internal controls, including additional resources and oversight capacity for P-card monitoring. The mayor’s office has indicated it is adjusting procedures and internal review mechanisms to prevent future documentation lapses.