Yesterday evening the FBI carried out a raid on the home of Maryland State Senator Ullyses Currie (D) and the Lanham, MD headquarters of Supervalu, parent company of Shoppers Food Warehouse for whom Currie provided outside consultant services. He has not reported income received from Shoppers or Supervalu on any of his three most recent filings with the State Ethics Commission, nor has he ever filed forms indicating a possible conflict of interest between this consulting work and his position in the legislature.

Currie was a major opponent of Clean Elections legislation introduced in Maryland this year, along with Senate President Mike Miller (D) whose position Currie was rumored to be in line for upon Miller's retirement. Miller's been in little hot water himself this week, after reports surfaced that pressure was put on the Judicial Nominating Committee in Anne Arundel County, Maryland to nominate Miller's for one of three District Court positions, despite the younger Miller's relative lack of experience.

Currie has received $7,500 in campaign contributions from Supervalu. From the Washington Post story:

Under state ethics law, legislators are required to report sources of outside income, including income from consulting activities, and are expected to report even the appearance of a conflict of interest on pending legislation.


Meyer, the spokeswoman for Supervalu, said in response to a question about Currie's employment by the company that he was an "outside consultant." She said his responsibilities included "various consulting operations."


[ . . .]


The instructions for the State Ethics Commission financial disclosure, which lawmakers must file yearly, lists income earned from "individual consulting activities" as an example of compensation that should be disclosed.


Currie did not report work with Shoppers in 2007 or the preceding two years, according to forms examined by The Post yesterday.

Currie has had a hand in passing legislation related to Shoppers Food Warehouse, so this lack of filing is particularly troubling. Maybe time to reconsider that Clean Elections legislation, Senator Currie?