There was no digified way to make an exit for Catherine Pugh. Caught in a corruption web fully of her own making, the mayor of Baltimore had been “on leave” for a month.

After the raid on her office, home, and her lawyer’s office, her resignation felt inevitable, even though the city council acknowledged that their hands were tied; there was no time limit on a leave of absence. And Pugh’s lawyer claimed she wasn’t “lucid” enough to make a decision about a resignation.

Well, someone made a decision yesterday. Was it Pugh, or was it her lawyer? We’ll never know, because the lawyer did all the talking.

After weeks of growing pleas for her to step down, Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh has resigned, her attorney said Thursday.”

“I am sorry for the harm that I have caused to the image of the city of Baltimore and the credibility of the office of the mayor,” she said in a letter read by her lawyer Steve Silverman.”

“Baltimore deserves a mayor who can move our great city forward,” the statement continued. Pugh, who has been suffering from health issues, did not appear at the news conference with her attorney.”

In recent weeks, federal agents raided her two homes, her City Hall office and other locations. She has been on an indefinite paid leave of absence from her job as Baltimore’s top elected official since April 1, citing health reasons.”

Pugh, a Democrat, is under investigation for alleged “self-dealing” in connection to the sale of thousands of copies of a self-published children’s book series. Many of those sales went to entities that she had influence over or that sought to do business with the city.”

Maryland’s Office of State Prosecutor and the city’s ethics board have launched probes into whether any laws or ethics rules have been violated. At this time, no local, state, or federal authorities have charged her with any crime.”

Pugh’s lawyer claimed that “this was a sad day for Mayor Pugh, and a sad day for the city of Baltimore.” Um, no. This was a GOOD day for Baltimore. This woman has abused her position, tried to enrich herself at the expense of others, and has a lot of explaining to do. She couldn’t do her job. Pugh had to go. She’s only sad that she got caught.

What Baltimore should be sad about is the fact that they can’t shake the culture of corruption that has been entrenched in the city structure for a long time. Baltimore has been a mess for years now. Will anything change with a new mayor? Who knows.

Featured image: Former Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh (via screenshot from CBS News on YouTube)