Cryor says Currie should not step down from Budget and Taxation Committee

Responding to our interview earlier today with Maryland Republican Party Chairman Jim Pelura, state Democratic Party Chairman Michael Cryor told PolitickerMD.com that Sen. Ulysses Currie (D-District Heights) should not succumb to GOP pressure to step down as chairman of the Budget and Taxation Committee.

"That would be a punitive action that I just don't think is warranted at this point," Cryor said. "We have no idea what the facts are."

He added, "What if (the FBI) got the wrong guy? How do you restore (Currie) after that?"

Pelura first called on Currie to step down as committee chair on Friday, one-day after federal authorities performed a raid on Currie's home. The investigation is thought to be tied to Currie's consulting work with the Lanham-based company Shoppers Food and Pharmacy.

This morning, Pelura told PolitickerMD.com that he was "not calling on (Currie) to resign from the Senate," and said, "He is innocent until proven guilty."

"Just because the FBI raided his home does not mean that he has behaved in a manner that is not proper," Cryor said.

The Democratic chair said he had briefly spoken to Currie one time since Thursday, but said the senator did not provide further details on the investigation.

"It was only for a couple of minutes to say hello," Cryor said of the conversation. "I told him that I would urge others not to pass judgment before the facts come out."

Yesterday, he did as much, urging critics in a statement to "reserve judgment" until "all the facts are in."

In that statement, Cryor also chastised the Republican Party, saying the GOP should not "use vague and uncertain events as a smear tactic to score political points."

He referred to recent scandals involving Republicans, saying, "One would think that such a group would exercise a little restraint before making broad assumptions and issuing accusations for the sake of political gain."

Asked today why he made those comments in the contest of this situation, Cryor said, "I was responding to a rather quick and unsubstantiated criticism launched by the Republican chair before any facts were brought out."

Discussing the Currie matter Friday, Pelura referred to the Democrats' "culture of corruption," calling it "a perfect object lesson about the dangers of one-party, monopoly rule."

In our interview today, the GOP chair said, "There's no smear tactics in what I've said. Again, I'm not saying he's guilty or asking him to resign from the Senate."

Calling Currie a "good and decent man," Cryor said, "It is time to stop thinking the worst about people."

He said the senator deserved "the benefit of the doubt" until the investigation is finalized.