BALTIMORE — So far in 2021, Baltimore City has recorded 108 murders and 208 non fatal shootings -- which is an increase of 12 and 20 respectively than at this time last year.
On Tuesday while speaking to the press during a tour of a COVID-19 clinic, Governor Larry Hogan expressed his disappointment with city leadership.
"Number one we have to get tougher laws, number two we can't defund the police which is the mayor's plan, we've got to invest more in our police, and number three we have to have a prosecutor that's willing to prosecute crimes," said Hogan.
The comments drew a quick rebuke from Baltimore City State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby on Twitter, where she called the Governor "Mr. Blue Lives Matter."
"The audacity of Mr. Blue Lives Matter, the man who vetoed police reform; killed the red line; vetoed education funding increases through Kirwan; yet never misses a chance to dump on Baltimore City. Stop only being concerned about Baltimore when it’s politically convenient for you," Mosby tweeted.
Although Mosby recently eliminated 1,500 active arrest warrants and stopped prosecuting crimes of drug possession and sex work, her office continues to pursue cases involving gun violence.
Mosby was also at the center of the fight to eliminate life sentences for juveniles and a series of police reform legislation that included the repealing of the Law Enforcement Officers Bill of Rights.
The Governor did veto most of those bills, but was overridden by the General Assembly.
Hogan however said Tuesday that he has put forth legislation to help with the city's crime issues, but blamed the Baltimore City delegation in the State Legislature for its failure.
"Two years in a row we had legislation that would address that, it passed the senate both times, an overwhelmingly democratic senate and both times the house killed it with the help of the Baltimore City delegation," said Hogan.
To fix the issue the Hogan says the city needs to come up with a real plan.
"The city needs to just do a better job of focusing on crime it seems to be the last thing that they're concerned about and they need to come up with a real plan we've been very disappointed in their efforts so far."
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott chalked Hogan's suggestions up to "MAGA talking points," despite the Governor being a staunch critic of the former President.
"Rather than relying solely on status quo solutions and MAGA talking points, how about actually meeting with me to discuss violent crime, gun trafficking, or restarting the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council as I've asked before," Scott wrote on Twitter.
When asked if he could have the state step in to address the skyrocketing gun violence in the city, Hogan said no.
"We can't step in we don't have the ability to do that. People say should you send the National Guard...National Guard is not the right one to be policing the streets of Baltimore we need the Baltimore Police Department policing the streets and we need the prosecutor to prosecute them."
Hogan and Scott are scheduled to meet and discuss crime May 13 at the State House in Annapolis.
