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City Council President Calls For Review Of Baltimore Contracts With J.P. Grant In 'Healthy Holly' Fallout

BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Baltimore City Council President Brandon Scott has asked the inspector general to review all city contracts related to financier and book purchaser J.P. Grant in the last five years.

"With everything that has come out with the investigation into Mayor [Catherine] Pugh, in our efforts to continue to restore trust in the city government, we thought that was the right thing to do," Scott said.

In a letter to the city inspector, Scott requested an investigation into contracts specifically with Grant Capital Management, which Scott said has close ties with former Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh. J.P. Grant was the book purchaser involved in the Healthy Holly scandal.

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This request comes two weeks after Pugh pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States and two counts of tax evasion.

The charges stemmed from the scheme to sell her "Healthy Holly" books to organizations and people with businesses before the state and the city when she was state senator and later mayor.

"There are many victims in this case, the victims are all of us, the taxpayers and the people of Baltimore who expect and deserve integrity from their public officials," said U.S. State's Attorney for Maryland Robert Hur.

According to the indictment, Pugh lied on her tax returns, reporting $31,000 of income in 2016 when she actually made more than $320,000.

"This is a tragedy and the last thing our city needs," Hur said.

Pugh will be sentenced in February, but Scott said the corruption doesn't stop with Pugh behind bars, adding they plan to pass legislation Friday to change what elected officials will have to disclose when they have businesses and who they do business with.

Baltimore's City Inspector General has yet to comment on Scott's request for an investigation.

WJZ reached out to Grant Capital Management for comment; as of Thursday evening, that request has not been returned.

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