Miles Stockbridge got the money

January 22nd, 2010 by Kenneth Burns

It has been a while since we heard about Prince George’s Senator Ulysses Currie (D-Dist. 25) who is currently under a federal microscope considering between his elected office and his off-session job with Shoppers Food Warehouse, specifically whether he was hired for his influence on some of the company’s projects. Remember, he did not disclose his position with the company on ethics forms.  The Baltimore Sun’s blog says that Currie used his campaign account to pay his legal bills from Miles Stockbridge to the tune of nearly $42,000.

If the name Miles Stockbridge sounds familiar, that was the law firm of choice for former Salisbury Mayor Barrie P. Tilghman and soon to be former Salisbury police chief Allan Webster when they took on Salisbury News Publisher and Maryland Politics Today Eastern Shore Correspondent Joe Albero.  Webster’s case was settled in 2008 with no money changing hands.  Tilghman’s lawsuit against Albero was scoreboard in favor of Albero (read: she lost).  Both sued for the non-normal amount of $9,999.00.

As far as Webster goes, the soon to be former part is due to him announcing his retiring effective this June.  WMAR-TV (Channe l 2) says that a feud with current Mayor Jim Ireton had nothing to do with his decision.  Last month, WBOC-TV (Channel 16) reported that Ireton asked for the chief’s resignation following several armed robberies and shootings in the city.  Guess what the chief said.  With Webster announcing his retirement, he withdrew his lawsuit against the city following receiving the first reprimands of his career; while at the same time, Ireton withdrew the four repreimands against the chief (hhhhmmmmmm….)