Catherine Pugh facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Catherine Pugh
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Pugh in 2017
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| 51st Mayor of Baltimore | |
| In office December 6, 2016 – May 2, 2019 On leave: April 2, 2019 – May 2, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Stephanie Rawlings-Blake |
| Succeeded by | Jack Young |
| Majority Leader of the Maryland Senate | |
| In office January 14, 2015 – December 6, 2016 |
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| Preceded by | James Robey |
| Succeeded by | Douglas J. J. Peters |
| Member of the Maryland Senate from the 40th district |
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| In office January 10, 2007 – December 6, 2016 |
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| Preceded by | Ralph M. Hughes |
| Succeeded by | Barbara A. Robinson |
| Member of the Maryland House of Delegates from the 40th district |
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| In office June 16, 2005 – January 10, 2007 |
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| Preceded by | Tony Fulton |
| Succeeded by | Shawn Z. Tarrant |
| Member of the Baltimore City Council from the 4th district |
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| In office January 2000 – December 7, 2004 |
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| Preceded by | Sheila Dixon |
| Succeeded by | Jack Young |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Catherine Elizabeth Crump
March 10, 1950 Norristown, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Phillip Pugh
(m. 1973; div. 1975) |
| Education | Morgan State University (BS, MBA) |
Catherine Elizabeth Pugh (born March 10, 1950) is an American former politician. She served as the 51st mayor of Baltimore, Maryland's largest city, from 2016 to 2019. She left her job as mayor because of a controversy that led to serious legal problems.
Pugh began her career in Maryland politics in 1999. She was first elected to the Baltimore City Council. Later, she served in the Maryland House of Delegates and the Maryland Senate. In the Senate, she became the Majority Leader, an important leadership role.
In 2016, Pugh ran for mayor of Baltimore and won the election. She took office on December 6, 2016. However, her time as mayor ended early. In 2019, she faced a major problem over children's books she had written. It was discovered that companies made deals with her to buy large numbers of her books. In return, these companies received contracts from the city. This was seen as a serious conflict of interest.
Because of this issue, Pugh resigned as mayor on May 2, 2019. Later that year, she was accused of breaking the law. She eventually admitted to some of the charges and was sentenced to three years in prison.
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Early Life and Schooling
Catherine Pugh was born Catherine Crump on March 10, 1950, in Norristown, Pennsylvania. She grew up in Philadelphia with her six siblings. She graduated from Overbrook High School in 1967.
After high school, Pugh moved to Baltimore, Maryland, to attend Morgan State University. She earned a bachelor's degree in 1973 and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree in 1977. She is also a member of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority.
Career Before Politics
After college, Pugh worked at a bank and later for the city government. In 1977, she started teaching business classes at Morgan State University. In 1988, she started her own public relations company. For a time, she also worked as an editor for The Baltimore Sun newspaper.
In 1994, she moved back to Philadelphia. There, she became a co-owner of a local TV station, WGTW-TV. She hosted a weekly show called "Another View," where she interviewed community leaders about important issues.
Political Career
Baltimore City Council
In 1999, Pugh was elected to the Baltimore City Council, where she served for five years. During her time on the council, she helped start two popular city projects. One was a public art project with fish sculptures placed around Baltimore. The other was the Baltimore Marathon.
Maryland General Assembly
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In 2005, Pugh was appointed to the Maryland House of Delegates, which is part of the state's government. Two years later, she was elected to the Maryland Senate. She served as a state senator from 2007 to 2016.
As a senator, she became the Senate Majority Leader. This is a powerful position that helps lead the political party in charge. She worked on laws related to computer security and healthcare. She also helped pass a law that gave tax relief to police officers and firefighters who lived in Baltimore.
In 2011, Pugh co-founded the Baltimore Design School. This was the first school of its kind in Maryland for middle and high school students interested in design.
2016 Baltimore Mayoral Campaign
In 2015, Pugh decided to run for mayor of Baltimore. At first, not many people thought she would win. But she gained support, including from U.S. Congressman Elijah Cummings.
Pugh won the Democratic primary election, which is the most important election in Baltimore because most voters are Democrats. She then easily won the main election in November 2016. She became the 51st mayor of Baltimore on December 6, 2016.
Mayor of Baltimore
As mayor, Pugh faced many challenges. These included crime, empty houses, and improving the city's bus system. One of her first actions was to approve a legal agreement with the United States Department of Justice. This agreement was meant to improve the Baltimore Police Department.
Pugh also tried to address the city's high crime rate. She supported a law that would give a mandatory one-year jail sentence for carrying a gun illegally in certain parts of the city.
To help neighborhoods, she created a $55 million fund in 2018. This fund was designed to support investment in areas of the city that needed it most.
Healthy Holly Book Controversy
In 2019, a major problem arose concerning a series of children's books Pugh had written called Healthy Holly. It was reported that the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) had paid Pugh $500,000 for 100,000 copies of her books. At the time, Pugh was a member of the UMMS board. This was a conflict of interest because she was making money from an organization she was supposed to be overseeing.
Later, it was revealed that other companies that did business with the city of Baltimore had also paid Pugh large amounts of money for her books. For example, Kaiser Permanente paid over $100,000 for the books.
This situation was seen as a "self-dealing" arrangement. This means she was using her powerful position as a politician to make money for herself.
Resignation and Legal Troubles
The book controversy grew into a major scandal. In April 2019, Pugh took a leave of absence from her job as mayor, saying she was sick. Soon after, federal agents from the FBI and IRS searched her homes and offices.
On May 2, 2019, Catherine Pugh officially resigned as the mayor of Baltimore.
In November 2019, she was formally accused of breaking several laws, including tax evasion (not paying all her taxes) and conspiracy (planning with others to do something illegal). The next day, she made a plea agreement, which means she admitted she was guilty of some of the charges to avoid a longer trial.
On February 27, 2020, a judge sentenced Pugh to three years in federal prison. She was also ordered to pay back over $400,000 and give up her home. The judge also ordered that all copies of the Healthy Holly books held by the government be destroyed. Pugh was released from prison in early 2022 and moved to a halfway house in Baltimore.
Personal Life
Pugh was married for two years in the 1970s and does not have any children. She is a runner and enjoys fitness. This interest led her to write her children's books, which were about exercise and healthy eating.
She also started several community programs in Baltimore. One was the "Need to Read Campaign," which was created to help people improve their reading skills.
See also
