Local county inspectors general across Maryland, including Montgomery’s Megan Limarzi, issued a statement, expressing “profound concern” that they may no longer be able to obtain public information to which they currently have access.
The Maryland Attorney General’s office issued an “advice letter” concerning how the Maryland’s Public Information Act should be applied to county inspectors general (IG). If carried out, that would limit the county IGs to obtain information needed to do their work, the IGs explained.
“This letter [from the Maryland Attorney General] has the potential to incapacitate our offices and diminish our ability to root out fraud, waste and abuse,” stated the letter from inspectors general in Montgomery, Baltimore and Howard counties, and Baltimore City.
Montgomery County’s IG office is an independent office in the legislative branch of the government. It reviews programs and operations, checking for fraud, waste and abuse, and offers recommendations on how to increase the legal, fiscal and ethical accountability of county departments and agencies.
Currently, the Public Information Act allows record holders to deny access to certain materials, including personnel files and financial information. The attorney general’s letter suggests that those same exemptions should also apply to inspectors general.
“Fundamental to our work is having unrestricted access to all relevant records held by our local jurisdiction,” the four IGs wrote.
They are asking members of the Maryland General Assembly to pass legislation that would amend the public information act to create an exemption for them.
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