Miller won’t ask Currie to step down

Posted by Jeff Quinton on August 27, 2008

The president of the Maryland Senate said yesterday that Sen. Ulysses Currie’s work for a regional grocery chain should be investigated by the General Assembly, but Sen. Thomas V. Mike Miller dismissed speculation that he would ask the Prince George’s County Democrat to step down from his leadership post.

“Senator Currie, in my opinion, is guilty of making a terrible mistake,” said Miller, who is attending the Democratic National Convention here. “Knowing him, I believe it was absent-mindedness. Still, he lobbied the government on behalf of a private entity for personal profit.”

The FBI’s public corruption squad is investigating whether Lanham-based Shoppers Food and Pharmacy paid Currie to use the prestige of his office to secure favorable legislation and action by state agencies.

Currie, chairman of the Budget and Taxation Committee, did not disclose his employment with Shoppers in ethics filings with the state as required.