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White developer sues Baltimore mayor, city council claiming he was fired because of his race
Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott is among multiple Maryland city leaders being sued over alleged racial discrimination after a White male city developer was fired from his position.
Andrew C. Freeman, the former vice president at East Baltimore Development Inc. (EBDI), filed a lawsuit against Scott, the Baltimore City Council and EBDI on Monday claiming that he was fired shortly after his promotion in 2024 at the behest of the mayor’s office for his racial background in the largely Black workplace.
According to the lawsuit, EBDI President & CEO Cheryl Y. Washington allegedly admitted in text messages to firing Freeman less than two weeks after his promotion while attempting to rehire former Chief Real Estate Officer Karen Major Johnson, a Black woman, on Scott’s orders under the direction of his then-advisor Calvin Young.
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The lawsuit read, “On June 10, 2024, Ms. Washington sent Mr. Freeman a text message in which she wrote, ‘Andy this decision was NOT mine! Not at all!! I would have NEVER done this. NEVER! I totally understand your response and don’t take it personally. I feel HORRIBLE!!'”
Freeman claimed that the mayor was “upset” at the news of his promotion after the termination of a Black woman and “had an issue with it,” arguing that EBDI was “not focusing on core values.”
He added that after he initially threatened a charge of discrimination in 2024, EBDI began asserting that Freeman was terminated for “performance issues” that didn’t line up with the company’s “core values.” His lawyers maintain that his initial promotion proves this argument unfounded.
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“Mr. Freeman’s termination is consistent with the Scott Administration’s broader policies and practices that arbitrarily advantage certain racial minorities and women under the guise of promoting diversity, equity and inclusion (‘DEI’) and disadvantage other people for no other reason than the color of their skin,” the lawsuit read.
It continued, “Mayor Scott has explicitly made providing opportunities for underrepresented minorities, particularly Black women, a top priority of his Administration. While lawful DEI initiatives appropriately seek to create equal opportunities for groups that have historically been subjected to discrimination and exclusionary practices, Mr. Scott’s brand of DEI gives people opportunities simply because they check a box.”
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Fox News Digital reached out to the mayor’s office and EBDI for comment. The Baltimore City Council declined to comment on the matter.
Freeman is seeking monetary compensation for his firing as well as a permanent injunction from engaging in further discrimination and an order to remedy the past effects of discrimination in other areas.
Scott and the city of Baltimore previously filed its own lawsuit against the Trump administration in 2025 after the president’s executive order to eliminate DEI programs in government.
The world’s largest sporting event, the 2026 FIFA World Cup, is just a few weeks away, returning to North America and the United States for the first time since 1994.
FIFA announced their first ever halftime show for the World Cup Final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. In a post on X, featuring Elmo, Coldplay announced that the halftime show would be curated by lead singer Chris Martin and feature BTS, Madonna and Shakira. Shakira is set to release the official song of the World Cup, “Dai Dai,” later Thursday.
The show will also “raise funds for the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund,” dedicated to “improving access to quality education and football for children around the world.”
FOX broadcasts the entire tournament, with opening matches kicking off on June 11 in Mexico. El Tri hosts South Africa in Mexico City, while South Korea takes on Croatia in Guadalajara.
Then the next day, the other two hosts play their first group stage matches. Canada plays Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto in Group B. Then the US Men’s National Team, coming off a rocky past few months of friendlies, plays its first match against Paraguay in Los Angeles. They then head to Seattle to play Australia on June 19, before closing out the group stage against Turkey back in LA on June 25.
Unsurprisingly, given the scale and scope of the tournament, and the stage hosting in the US offers, FIFA is pulling out all the entertainment stops.
Already, soccer’s governing body has set up an extensive list of entertainment to kick off the tournament in the host countries. An opening ceremony in Los Angeles on June 12 will feature music acts like Katy Perry, Future, Anitta, LISA, Rema and Tyla.
“This opening ceremony in Los Angeles represents the extraordinary scale of what the FIFA World Cup 2026 will become,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a statement. “The lineup of artists reflects the cultural diversity of the United States and the vibrancy of its many diasporas, highlighting the nation’s rich influence on music, entertainment and pop culture, while showcasing the power of music to bring people together across the country.”
That ceremony will kick off 90 minutes before the start of the US match, and will complement two additional opening ceremonies in Canada and Mexico. The opening match in Toronto will feature performances by Alanis Morissette, Alessia Cara, Elyanna, Jessie Reyez, Michael Bublé, Nora Fatehi, Sanjoy, Vegedream and William Prince.
ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!
In Mexico, opening ceremony headliners include Alejandro Fernández, Belinda, Danny Ocean, J Balvin, Lila Downs, Los Ángeles Azules, Maná and Tyla.
Prior performers at World Cup finals include stars like Carlos Santana and Wycleaf Jean at the 2014 tournament in Brazil. Will Smith was among those who sang at the 2018 finale in Russia, and Davido, Aisha, Ozuna were part of the 2022 closing ceremony in Qatar.
Over 100 matches. 16 cities hosting in three countries. Over a month’s worth of action, culminating in a momentous finale in New Jersey. The World Cup never fails to deliver.
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