I. Mean. *DAMN*.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/editorial/bs-ed-currie-20111018,0,7107838.story
Just when it seemed that the trial of state Sen. Ulysses Currie couldn't possibly lower the public opinion of the General Assembly any further, a former state delegate and highly respected member of Maryland's legal and political firmament has now testified that the man who has been given tremendous responsibility for steering the state through billion-dollar budget deficits for the last nine years is too dumb to be held accountable for his actions. Senator Currie is a heck of a nice guy, former Del. Timothy F. Maloney testified Monday, but not too bright. Also, a terrible communicator, forgetful and not good with details. And Mr. Maloney was testifying as a character witness on Mr. Currie's behalf.
The legal strategy at work is, evidently, to convince jurors that the senator and former chairman of the Budget and Taxation Committee failed to tell anyone that he was being paid nearly a quarter-million dollars by the Shoppers Food Warehouse grocery chain to advocate for its interests because it simply slipped his mind. That the man who dutifully created a document for Shoppers executives detailing his work on their behalf just couldn't wrap his head around the paperwork necessary to disclose his extracurricular employment in state ethics forms. That he could not have participated in the bribery and extortion scheme prosecutors allege because he just isn't that bright.
Mr. Maloney's reputation is impeccable, and he has too much to lose by lying on the stand, so we are left to assume that he is giving his honest opinion of a friend and former colleague. Mr. Maloney said the senator frequently garbled information, could not remember things, was unable to communicate effectively, was not astute and that "no one would call him smart."
Wow.
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