Lt. Gov. Brown calls Currie 'man of strong integrity'
Attorneys for state Sen. Ulysses Currie called Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown to the witness stand Monday morning, where Maryland’s second-in-command testified that Currie had been a mentor to him both professionally and personally.
“Senator Currie has a reputation of being a good guy -- the nicest guy, that’s what people always say… the nicest guy you’ll ever meet,” said Brown, who's frequently mentioned as a 2014 gubernatorial candidate. He described Currie as a “very caring,” yet disorganized legislator.
“He’s a man of strong integrity and conviction and beliefs,” Brown said.
The testimony, which lasted roughly 10 minutes, continues a theme in Currie’s defense, which has called current and former politicians as character witnesses for Currie. Many claim that the 74-year-old senator is endlessly friendly, but not particularly bright, not pulled together. Legal experts claim the strategy amounts to an “I’m an idiot defense” that asks the jury to believe that Currie wasn’t aware his actions were illegal.
Currie is accused of using a consulting contract with Shoppers Food Warehouse to mask an extortion scheme, in which he traded legislative favors for $245,000 over a five-year period. He neglected to list the work on legislature ethics forms, which his attorneys have blamed on a scatterbrained nature.
Currie has denied the allegations and said the contract was an innocent, professional endeavor. When questioned by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Gavin, Brown said he didn’t know about the work, and called the ethics form disclosures an important requirement for legislators.
Brown, who became lieutenant governor in 2006, managed Currie’s 1994 election campaign and shared a ticket with him four years later during his own run for a position in the House of Delegates. They’ve remained friends ever since, Brown said, with Currie meeting his parents and attending the christening of Brown’s daughter.
--Tricia Bishop
Comments
Lt Gov wouldn't know what the word integrity meant even if it bite him and the Gov right in the face!
Posted by: MissDaisy | October 24, 2011 12:42 PM
Lt Gov wouldn't know what the word integrity meant even if it bit him and the Gov right in the face!
Posted by: MissDaisy | October 24, 2011 12:43 PM
2 questions:
1. Has Currie ever signed such an ethics form previously? If so, he would know to do so here..
2. Does not the General Assembly have an ethics tutorial every year, taught by a Mr. Sommerville, where the importance of the ethics form is discussed?. Has Currie ever attended any of these required lectures?
Posted by: Cranston Snord | October 24, 2011 12:46 PM
Not surprising...birds of a feather flock together. This is business as usual for the Maryland Democratic party. Please tell me this criminal will be going to jail and Anthony Brown will ride into the sunset with O'Malley never to be heard from again.
Posted by: TJ | October 24, 2011 12:48 PM
Does a man of "strong integrity" take money for doing favors for his vote.... If so, than he is definitely a man of integrity....
Maybe Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown needs to look up what the word integrity means!
Posted by: whatajokeheis | October 24, 2011 1:46 PM
I'm sure you can be "nice" and criminal all at the same time. I'm sure you can be "disorganized" and criminal at the same time too, maybe "nice" and "disorganized" helps facilitate criminal intentions.
Posted by: MIke | October 24, 2011 2:21 PM
This continues to amaze me. Imagine if the citizens of Prince Georges and the State of Maryland had an organized, bright, less scatterbrained and pulled together congressman and chairman all these years. We probably be a lot better off today.
I can't believe all these leaders let us vote for him cycle after cycle.
Posted by: nofriendofmom | October 24, 2011 2:35 PM
“He’s a man of strong integrity and conviction and beliefs,” Brown said.
This show the lack of integrity and the lack of conviction and the belief by Brown that lawbreakers are worthy of praise.
Brown has shown his failure of moral conviction.
Posted by: Anonymous | October 24, 2011 2:42 PM
Its ridiculous to pretend Senator Curie's race doesn't have anything to do with the decision to prosecute him. Senator Currie has fought for the downtrodden for a long time. In doing so, he's made a lot of powerful people angry. If Senator Currie is convicted, a civil rights leader will be silenced.
Posted by: CityResident1 | October 24, 2011 5:22 PM
Shameful comments from an Officer in the military and a Lt. Governor.
His comments make me question his integrity. Makes me wonder what he has been able to get away with while serving as a military officer and Lt. Governor.
Not even a word of disappointment about his "mentor"/ friend in his comments.
So much for setting an example for the public, in particular, our children.
Whatever happened to Tell The Truth Always?
Posted by: lenny | October 24, 2011 6:11 PM
Its a good thing for Lt Gov Brown 2 stand up for a friend and take this risk but he on the other hand doesnt know integrity, honesty or loyalty.
Posted by: Anonymous | October 31, 2011 10:18 AM