Isabel M. Cumming’s appointment as Baltimore City Inspector General, reported by The Brew last week, was formally announced today in a joint statement by Mayor Catherine Pugh and City Solicitor Andre M. Davis.

Cumming, who most recently served as Assistant Inspector General of Investigations for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority system (WMATA), steps into the role at a challenging time.

Charged with rooting out waste, fraud and abuse in city government, the office has come under criticism for falling dormant – chronically understaffed, failing to meet performance standards and not releasing a single public investigative report in two years.

Previous Brew coverage:

• How Baltimore’s Inspector General’s office got de-fanged (12/22/17)
• Probe of alleged improper office behavior was halted last year (2/24/17)
• Sharpening the teeth of Baltimore’s watchdog (2/5/13)
• Exclusive: Washington Metro attorney to become next Inspector General (12/28/17)