Sources: Smith departs City Hall amid Pugh controv

Adam Bednar//April 6, 2019//

Listen to this article

Baltimore Development Corp. board member Jim Smith. (File Photo) — Jim Smith has submitted his resignation from Mayor Catherine Pugh’s administration, according to sources. (File Photo)

Jim Smith, a prominent local political figure and high-profile aide to Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh, resigned from the beleaguered city administration on Friday, according to sources with knowledge of the situation.

Smith, who loaned Pugh’s campaign $100,000, and moved to the city to take a position at City Hall, served as the chief of strategic alliances. His roles included community revitalization and working to overhaul Pimlico Race Course.

A spokesman for Pugh said he’d spoken with the chief of staff and could not confirm Smith resigned from his position.

Smith previously served two terms as Baltimore County executive and as Maryland secretary of transportation in Gov. Martin O’Malley’s administration.

Smith’s resignation followed Pugh’s announcement on April 2 that she was taking a leave of absence because of health reasons amid controversy over at least $800,000 in payments she received from insurance companies, investors, hospitals and a nonprofit for a self-published children’s book series. City Council President Bernard “Jack” Young has been serving as acting mayor.

Pugh’s office said the mayor needed time to recover from a case of pneumonia that hospitalized the 69-year-old former state senator.

A number of investigations into Pugh’s book sales have begun or been requested, notably by the state prosecutor and the city ethics board.