Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott defends $163K Jeep purchase, cries racism

Brandon Scott, the Democratic mayor of Baltimore, is going through questions in regards to the taxpayer cash he makes use of for his transportation, in addition to the backlash on social media following a information convention by which he advised racism was an element.

Scott, a progressive who has been mayor since 2020, is beneath stress over a Fox Baltimore Report He exhibits that his main automobile, a 2025 Jeep Grand Wagoneer, is the most costly government-issued automobile pushed by a mayor, governor, county govt or county commissioner within the state, costing taxpayers $163,495.

Scott has responded to the report, which claims his SUV prices practically twice as a lot because the second costliest taxpayer automobile within the state, by pointing to the price of President Donald Trump’s “Beast” automobile, arguing it does not take inflation into consideration and suggesting politics are at play.

Scott, after being pressed by a reporter in a back-and-forth dialog, referred to as the query “idiotic” and a part of a “right-wing” effort to discredit him.

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Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott (Kenneth Ok. Lam/Baltimore Solar/Tribune Information Service through Getty Photographs)

“It is one factor that you simply did not get the reply you needed due to your racist bias,” the mayor mentioned.

Scott has championed himself as a fighter in opposition to the “establishment” as the town faces an $85 million finances deficit, and has additionally been an advocate for local weather change, regardless of selecting a Jeep Wagoneer, a automobile with a modest fuel effectivity of 14 MPG, to get round.

Scott’s dialog with the reporter triggered a stir social media from the mayor’s conservative critics.

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The dome of Baltimore Metropolis Corridor, Might 12, 2019. (Reuters/Stephanie Keith)

“Mayor Scott could not justify utilizing taxpayer cash to purchase his luxurious automobile, so he referred to as the reporter a racist,” mentioned Maryland Republican state Rep. Kathy Szeliga. posted on X. “Basic deflection. His gas-guzzling $165,000 Jeep Grand Wagoneer should be a candy experience!”

“If a reporter merely asks in regards to the extreme prices? Scott instantly screams ‘racism’ and accuses the station of a ‘critical right-wing effort,’” mentioned social media commentator Officer Lew. posted on X. “Basic distraction. Losing cash, taking part in the race card, dodging accountability. That is what occurs when identification politics guidelines Metropolis Corridor.”

“Name out racism to keep away from grievances,” conservative commentator Brandon Tatum posted on X. “Unqualified advantage signaler reigns supreme.”

“I can not make this up,” conservative influencer account LibsofTikTok posted on X.

Scott has repeatedly criticized the “previous means” of politics in Baltimore, which he related to prioritizing picture over substance.

“For too lengthy, this metropolis’s corrupt and inept leaders have prioritized flashy however unsuccessful transportation choices which have performed nothing to materially enhance the protection and high quality of our transportation community,” Scott wrote as a mayoral candidate in 2020.

A spokesperson for the mayor’s workplace advised Fox Information Digital that the 2020 quote has “no relevance in any way” to the town’s authorities fleet and is “clearly a response to a query about the usage of state and federal sources for Baltimore’s public transportation system.”

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Mayor Brandon Scott leaves his automobile to select up lunch on December 18 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Getty Photographs)

The spokesperson additionally pushed again on the Fox Baltimore report, saying the automobile was bought in February 2025 at a traditional MSRP by way of the traditional procurement course of, and that “the seller contract was permitted by the Board of Estimates with out incident on September 18, 2024.”

“First, I wish to make clear that the automobile didn’t price $163,495. That determine is the entire undertaking price, together with the price of the automobile and the price of any mandatory security modifications. As with every govt automobile utilized by the Baltimore Police Division’s Government Safety Unit (EPU), the automobile should be appropriate with police operations. Because of this the automobile should be geared up with applicable security, safety, and communications options (emergency automobile lights, sirens, a microphone, and so forth.).

“Following finest practices in reliability and security, the town has budgeted to buy a brand new mayoral automobile each 4 years. This automobile changed a earlier govt automobile initially bought in 2016. These autos are anticipated to get replaced each 4 years as they’re used for his or her official duties far more ceaselessly than a median private automobile; as such, they accumulate miles extra shortly and require extra common upkeep and substitute. As soon as the autos are changed, the previous autos are both reused for different official duties or bought at public sale to maintain the guarantee cost-effectiveness.”

The spokesperson additionally pushed again on reporting that the mayor’s automobile is the most costly taxpayer automobile within the state for an govt, saying the reporting “does not actually present the proof to completely assist that declare.”

“The story admits that they haven’t obtained documentation from all jurisdictions within the state and makes use of comparisons to autos which might be considerably older or to jurisdictions which might be on a unique automobile substitute cycle or have totally different govt safety protocols. It additionally supplied no context that the 2016 automobile was serving past the usual substitute cycle,” the spokesperson mentioned.

The spokesperson’s assertion didn’t deal with Scott’s remark a couple of “racist slant.”