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ALL THAT IT CAN DO, CALL FOR RESIGNATION, BUT IT CAN’T FORCE IT. MAYOR CATHERINE PUGH IS ON LEAVE. BUT IN A STATEMENT TODAY, HER OFFICE SAID SHE INTENDS TO RETURN TO WORK. MAYOR PUGH HAS TAKEN A LEAVE T FOCUS ON RECOVERING FROM PNEUMONIA. JAYNE: THE STATEMENT FOLLOWED A LETTER ISSUED BY THE CITY COUNCIL EARLIER, CALLING ON PUGH TO RESIGN. MAYOR PUGH THE ENTIRE MEMBERSHIP OF THE BALTIMORE CITY COUNCIL -- >> IT HAS BECOME A COMPLETE DISTRACTION FROM THE WORK OF MOVING BALTIMORE FORWARD. I HAVEN’T EVEN BEEN ABLE TO WALK MY DOG WITHOUT BEING ASKED WHY THE MAYOR HAS NOT RESIGNED. JAYNE: PUGH IS UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR HER DEALINGS THROUGH HER COMPANY, HEALTHY HOLLY LLC, WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND LEDICAL SYSTEM AND OTHER BUSINESSES. SHE DID NOT DISCLOSE THE COMPANY IN LEGISLATIVE FILINGS WHEN SHE WAS A STATE SENATOR. >> IN ORDER TO PRIORIOTIZE THE WELFARE OF THE CITIZENS OF BALTIMORE, THIS STEP MY COLLEGAUES AND I FELT WE HAD TO TAKE. THIS CITY CANNOT MOVE FORWARD WITH THE CLOUD THAT IS OVER OUR MAYO JAYNE: THE COUNCIL DOES NOT HAVE AUTHORITY TO FORCE A MAYOR FROM OFFICE. UNDER THE CITY CHARTER, A MAYOR CAN BE FORCED FROM OFFICE ONLY THROUGH CONVICTION OF CERTAIN CR

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The entire Baltimore City Council has called for Mayor Catherine Pugh's resignation.The letter signed by all members of the Baltimore City Council is the strongest push yet for Pugh to step down.While the City Council can ask the mayor to resign, it does not have the power to remove her.The demand for Pugh to resign was signed by all 14 members of the City Council.Councilman Eric Costello tweeted out a memo Monday morning that called for Pugh to resign immediately. The memo stated, "The entire membership of the Baltimore City Council believes that it is not in the best interest of the City of Baltimore, for you to continue to serve as Mayor. We urge you to tender your resignation, effective immediately."Below the message are the signatures of all 14 City Council members.Pugh is under investigation for her dealings through her Healthy Holly company. It received hundreds of thousands of dollars from the University of Maryland Medical System, insurance companies and other businesses. The company is in the business of writing and selling Healthy Holly children's books. The mayor has provided limited accounting of the books.Costello released a statement, saying: “The myriad of investigations underway into the various business dealings involving the Mayor raise significant ethical and legal issues. It will be impossible for Mayor Pugh to govern effectively. Therefore, I have joined all my colleagues today in asking for the Mayor’s immediate resignation. This unprecedented step has not been taken lightly. While I fully support the notion of 'innocent until proven guilty,' I remain deeply concerned about the immeasurable toll this scandal has taken on the City of Baltimore and its citizens. Resignation will not solve every problem but Baltimore needs to heal, once again, and it cannot do so until the Mayor steps aside.”Councilman Brandon Scott, released a statement, saying: "Baltimore will continue to have a cloud over its head while the investigations into Mayor Pugh's business dealings go on. These issues are extremely severe and prohibit the Mayor from focusing on the business of Baltimore. Today I join my colleagues in asking for the Mayor's resignation. Baltimore deserves a Mayor who can focus on reducing crime, improving our schools and restoring trust in our government. My colleagues and I understand the severity of the action we have taken, but know that it is what's best for Baltimore. A lot of work remains to rebuild trust in our government but that will not start until the Mayor resigns."The mayor's office released a statement Monday around 11:45 a.m., saying Pugh will return to her office once she has recovered from pneumonia."Mayor Pugh has taken a leave to focus on recovering from pneumonia and regaining her health. She fully intends to resume the duties of her office and continuing her work on behalf of the people and the City of Baltimore," the statement read."It is disappointing and a little frustrating, but I understand you know in this country you are presumed innocent until found guilty and it's possible that is her position that until the investigations are completed she may want to stay in that position," said Councilman Kristefer Burnett. "It has become a complete distraction from the work of moving Baltimore forward. I haven't even been able to walk my dog without being asked why the mayor hasn't resigned.""In order to prioritize the welfare of the citizens of Baltimore, this step my colleagues and I felt we had to take. this city cannot move forward with the cloud that is over our mayor," Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot called for Pugh's resignation Sunday on 11 News.​