Where's Healthy Holly? Search Underway For Baltimore Mayor's Books Sold To Hospital
BALTIMORE (AP/WJZ) — There's a search underway in Maryland for "Healthy Holly" — not a fugitive or a missing citizen, but an obscure children's book authored by Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh.
The Baltimore Sun reports at least 50,000 copies are unaccounted for, after Pugh received hundreds of thousands of dollars for selling them to a state hospital network while she sat on its board.
Since 2011, she received $500,000 selling her self-published book series to the University of Maryland Medical System. Pugh, who became mayor in 2016, was among a third of the board who had UMMS contracts with their businesses.
Maryland comptroller Peter Franchot said Tuesday that an independent audit is urgent.
Pugh has defended her deal, saying the books sharing tips on nutrition and exercise were provided to schools and daycares.
She announced she will hold a presser detailing the arrangement with the University of Maryland Medical System to produce the Healthy Holly children's books, as soon as possible following her release from the hospital.
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