Miles & Stockbridge gets paid.
Powerful Maryland Senator Ulysses Currie used his campaign account to pay Baltimore law firm Miles & Stockbridge $41,555.27 in the past year, according to campaign filings that were made available today.
The documents show the firm received four payments in the past year:
$15,000 in June;
$20,457.86 in July;
$5,429.80 in October;
and $667.61 this month.
Currie's attorney, Dale P. Kelberman, is a partner with Miles & Stockbridge.
The feds have been examining whether the Shoppers Food and Pharmacy grocery store chain hired Currie to garner favorable legislation and decisions by state agencies. The grocery chain paid Currie more than $200,000 over a five-year period, according to a search warrant affidavit.
The investigation came to light when the FBI raided the senator's home in May 2008. Currie, chairman of the Budget and Taxation Committee, never disclosed his employment by Shoppers on General Assembly ethics forms.
The senator has not been charged with any wrongdoing and it is unclear from the filing what he hired Miles & Stockbridge to handle. A notation next to each payment says "legal fees."
Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler has in the past ruled out using the campaign money to pay for criminal defense unless the case involves campaign finance violations.
Kelberman also represented Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon who pleaded guilty to a theft and perjury charge earlier this month.
The documents show the firm received four payments in the past year:
$15,000 in June;
$20,457.86 in July;
$5,429.80 in October;
and $667.61 this month.
Currie's attorney, Dale P. Kelberman, is a partner with Miles & Stockbridge.
The feds have been examining whether the Shoppers Food and Pharmacy grocery store chain hired Currie to garner favorable legislation and decisions by state agencies. The grocery chain paid Currie more than $200,000 over a five-year period, according to a search warrant affidavit.
The investigation came to light when the FBI raided the senator's home in May 2008. Currie, chairman of the Budget and Taxation Committee, never disclosed his employment by Shoppers on General Assembly ethics forms.
The senator has not been charged with any wrongdoing and it is unclear from the filing what he hired Miles & Stockbridge to handle. A notation next to each payment says "legal fees."
Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler has in the past ruled out using the campaign money to pay for criminal defense unless the case involves campaign finance violations.
Kelberman also represented Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon who pleaded guilty to a theft and perjury charge earlier this month.
Comments
Why is this criminal thief still a committee head? Why has he not been charged after so long?
And since when can you use campaign funds to pay for personal legal fees?
This state under one party dictatorship is a joke.
My handle rings true each and every day these people continue to get re-elected.
Posted by: Voters Ignorance | January 22, 2010 10:06 AM
I concur with the above posted comments, "This state under one party dictatorship is a joke". So is the US Department of Justice Law Enforcement Arm the FBI Baltimore Office Public Corruption Unit. Years ago, the FBI investigated a political corruption case against the President of the Denate Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr. The FBI investigation faded away. It appears the same will happen with Senator Ulysses Currie, Chairman of the Senate Budget & Taxation Committee. Its going to take the voters to make a positive change to balance Maryland's political arena. First Citizens have to register as Undecdied, Independent, Democrat and or Republican. Citizens must take yourselves off the sidelines to make the positive political chnage to the downsizing and privatizing of our Democracy a sad direction in which our Maryland political process has travel of late. Cast your vote in this November election for a balance of power, a true Democracy.
Posted by: Dick Johnson | January 25, 2010 9:29 AM
Gansler must go, along with any apointee or incumbent. He protects the elite who rule, but this year we're voting for citizen rule to stop these gluttons from bleeding our paychecks dry.
Posted by: Indep Endent | January 26, 2010 7:03 AM