A federal judge granted a request Thursday from state Sen. Ulysses Currie?s attorneys for copies of an affidavit used to secure a search warrant for his home as well as copies of items seized during the May raid, officials said.
Magistrate Judge Paul Grimm conducted a hearing Thursday afternoon at the attorneys? request, said Marcia Murphy, a spokeswoman for Maryland U.S. Attorney Rod Rosenstein. Currie, a Prince George?s County Democrat, is under investigation for his work as a consultant with area grocery chain Shoppers Food Warehouse.
Federal prosecutors this week subpoenaed the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development, the fifth state agency probed in the investigation. Similar to other subpoenas in the case, prosecutors requested documents relating to Shoppers and Mondawmin Mall in Baltimore, said Karen Glenn Hood, a department spokeswoman.
James Henry, the department?s managing director of finance programs, told The Associated Press the senator organized a meeting in April 2004 to discuss getting a Shoppers store at Mondawmin. He said he was “puzzled” by the senator?s involvement, until he learned that Shoppers was headquartered in Prince George?s County. Shoppers opened a store at Mondawmin last year as part of the mall?s $70 million redevelopment.
Murphy could not confirm an AP report that Grimm said some information in the affidavits came from wiretaps.
Currie?s attorneys ? Dale Kelberman and William Murphy ? did not return calls by press time. Officials at Supervalu, Shoppers? parent company, have declined to elaborate on Currie?s employment.
Currie, 70, chairs the influential Senate Budget and Taxation Committee. He did not list his relationship with Shoppers on required financial disclosure forms.
Also Thursday, state transportation officials said they planned to release documents turned over to prosecutors Monday. Investigators subpoenaed the Maryland Transit Administration, Motor Vehicle Administration, State Highway Administration and the Department of Legislative Services.
