Jun 17, 2008 7:11 am US/Eastern
Currie Asks To Use Campaign Funds For Legal Bills
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) ―
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Ulysses Currie, a Prince George's County Democrat, is under
investigation.
CBS
A state senator under federal investigation has asked for a "clarification" on whether he can use campaign money to pay his legal bills.
Ulysses Currie, a Prince George's County Democrat, is under investigation in connection with consulting work he did for a grocery chain. He wrote a letter to the Maryland State Board of Elections on June 12 asking for "clarification and a formal opinion concerning the appropriate use of my campaign funds."
Currie said he has hired a lawyer to represent him in a "federal criminal investigation that appears to relate to my position as a member of the General Assembly."
The FBI raided Currie's home and the headquarters of Shoppers Food and Pharmacy in Lanham on May 29. Currie pointed out in his letter that no charges have been filed and wrote that he does not expect any. But he indicated that if charges were filed, they would affect his "continued viability as a candidate for public office."
Currie referred inquiries about the investigation Monday to his lawyer Dale Kelberman, who did not return a call for comment, The Washington Post reported.
According to a report filed with the State Board of Elections, Currie had more than $350,000 in campaign funds as of Feb. 1. The 70-year-old Currie makes $43,500 a year in the General Assembly.
In 1993, the Maryland attorney general's office issued an opinion that concluded that an elected official can use campaign funds to pay debts incurred in the defense of a criminal prosecution only if the charges directly related to allegations of campaign improprieties.
The 1993 opinion emphasized that campaign funds usually can't be used to defend against criminal charges.
Raquel Guillory, a spokeswoman for the attorney general's office, said the 1993 opinion still applies.
"A candidate or elected official may use campaign funds to pay debts incurred in the defense of a criminal prosecution only if there is a direct connection between the candidacy and the prosecution," she said. "The defendant can use campaign funds if he is accused of violating campaign finance laws but not other crimes having nothing to do with his campaign."
Currie's request will be given to the attorney general's office for review, according to Jared DeMarinis, the election board's candidacy and campaign finance director.
(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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