On Monday, Maryland Senate President Thomas Mike Miller Jr appointed Rushern Baker to the University of Maryland Medical System Board.

The former County Executive of Prince George’s County is well versed in health care. Baker was also instrumental in getting the University of Maryland Medical System to take control of Dimensions. Dimensions was a private nonprofit that ran the county’s hospital for years amid years of controversy. He’s also credited with bringing a new hospital to the county which is scheduled to open in 2021 in Largo. The board is being reconstructed after an ugly scandal in the spring. It among other things involved a book deal made with then Mayor of Baltimore Catherine Pugh who later resigned for selling her children’s books to organizations that the city did business with.

Baker served as the leader of Prince George’s County for 8 years until he decided in 2018 to run for Governor under the Democratic ticket. He lost his runoff election to Benjamin Jealous.

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan has also named 11 appointments to the board. They all require Senate confirmation.

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