Baltimore Mayor Scott Under Fire for Luxury Vehicle and Racial Comments

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott is facing mounting scrutiny over his city-funded transportation after reports revealed his official vehicle costs taxpayers $163,495, making it the most expensive government-issued vehicle operated by any mayor, governor, county executive, or commissioner in Maryland.

According to a Fox Baltimore investigation, Scott’s 2025 Jeep Grand Wagoneer costs nearly twice as much as the next most expensive taxpayer-funded vehicle in the state. The progressive Democratic mayor, who has served since 2020, responded to the criticism by comparing his vehicle to the presidential limousine known as “The Beast” and suggested the questioning was politically motivated.

When pressed by a reporter about the expenditure during a press conference, Scott called the question “idiotic” and part of a “right-wing” effort to discredit him. The mayor then escalated the confrontation by accusing the reporter of having a “racist slant” in his questioning.

The exchange quickly gained traction on social media, with numerous conservative commentators criticizing Scott’s response. Maryland Republican State Delegate Kathy Szeliga wrote on X: “Mayor Scott could not defend using tax dollars to buy his luxury vehicle, so he called the reporter a racist. Classic deflection.”

The controversy comes at a particularly challenging time for Baltimore, which currently faces an $85 million budget deficit. Critics have also noted the apparent contradiction between Scott’s advocacy for climate change initiatives and his choice of a Jeep Wagoneer, which averages only 14 miles per gallon.

Scott’s administration has defended the vehicle purchase. A spokesperson told Fox News the $163,495 figure represents the total project cost, including necessary safety modifications required for police operations since the Baltimore Police Department’s Executive Protection Unit utilizes the vehicle.

“According to best practices for reliability and safety, the City budgets to purchase a new mayoral vehicle every four years,” the spokesperson explained, adding that the vehicle replaced a previous executive vehicle originally purchased in 2016. “These vehicles are scheduled to be replaced every four years because they are used far more often through their official duties than an average personal vehicle; as such, they accumulate miles quicker and require more regular maintenance and replacement.”

The mayor’s office also challenged the report’s assertion that Scott’s vehicle is the most expensive in the state, claiming the investigation “does not actually provide the evidence to fully support that assertion” and failed to account for different vehicle replacement cycles or executive protection protocols across jurisdictions.

The controversy has sparked additional scrutiny of Scott’s previous statements. As a mayoral candidate in 2020, Scott criticized what he called the “old way” of Baltimore politics, writing: “For too long, corrupt and inept leaders of this city have prioritized flashy, yet unsuccessful transportation options that have done nothing to substantially improve the safety and quality of our transportation network.”

When asked about this apparent contradiction, Scott’s spokesperson said the 2020 quote has “no relevance whatsoever” to the city’s government vehicle fleet and was “clearly a response to a question about utilizing state and federal resources for Baltimore’s public transportation system.”

The mayor’s office did not address Scott’s “racist slant” comment in their official response to media inquiries.

Scott, who has positioned himself as a fighter against the “status quo” in Baltimore politics, now finds his spending priorities and communication style under increasing public scrutiny as the city continues to face significant budgetary challenges. The controversy highlights ongoing tensions between fiscal responsibility, security requirements for public officials, and the optics of government spending during economic hardship.