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The mayor of Baltimore, Catherine Pugh, who took an indefinite leave in the middle of a controversy over a book, was called upon to immediately retire by the city council.
The 14-member Baltimore City Council sent a two-sentence letter to Pugh on Monday asking him to resign, effective immediately. All members of City Council, with the exception of Acting Mayor Bernard C. "Jack" Young, signed the letter.
"All members of Baltimore City Council believe that it is not in the interest of the City of Baltimore that you continue to serve as mayor," board members wrote to Pugh . "We urge you to resign, from now on."
PROMOTION OF $ 500 BILLION OF BALTIMORE MAYOR ON BOOKS OF CHILDREN "HEALTHY HOLLY" STRETCH TO THE VOICE
Copies of the letter were also sent to city attorney Andre Davis, Pugh Chief of Staff Bruce Williams, city senators and delegates to the Maryland General Assembly and Young.
Pugh is under fire after she received $ 500,000 from the University of Maryland's medical system for her self-authored "Healthy Holly," a series of children's books.
The university paid Pugh 100,000 copies of its books between 2011 and 2018 while she was a member of the board of directors. The books were for schools and daycares. However, there are still about 50,000 copies, which may have never been printed, the Baltimore Sun newspaper reported.
CATHERINE PUGH, MAYOR OF BALTIMORE, TAKES AN INDEFINITE LEAVE OF ABSENCE BY MEANS OF THE CONTROVERSY OF THE BOOK
The Attorney General opened an investigation earlier this month on book sales, the Baltimore Sun daily reported.
Pugh announced last Monday that she was missing to recover from pneumonia for which she had been hospitalized for five days. Her spokeswoman said Saturday at the Baltimore Sun that Ms. Pugh was planning to return to her post once her health improved enough.
This statement seemed to encourage the city council to ask him to resign.
"Baltimore will continue to have a cloud over his head while Mayor Pugh's business relations investigations continue," said Councilor Brandon Scott in a statement. "My colleagues and I understand the seriousness of the steps we have taken, but know that's what's best for Baltimore."
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Councilman Zeke Cohen said that if the move was "unprecedented", it's the best solution for Baltimore.
At a press conference last week, Mr. Pugh described the contract with the university health system as "regrettable error" and apologized for "lack of confidence or disappointment" by citizens and their colleagues.
Pugh did not comment on the letter from the city council.
Nicole Darrah from Fox News contributed to this report.
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