"For a company like Giant or Safeway or Shoppers, the bigger the amount you collect, the more you get to keep," said Barry Scher, an Annapolis lobbyist for Giant Food Inc., who said he has been interviewed by the FBI but is not a target of the investigation. "It's a fair amount of money."
In another case, a bill considered detrimental to the grocery industry died in Currie's committee during last year's special General Assembly session. The FBI notes in its affidavit that 40 calls were placed from Currie's phones to Shoppers and Supervalu officials in the month leading up to and during the special session. Five more calls were placed on the day after the session ended.
A lawmaker who championed the bill, which would have imposed a minimum tax on corporations, said the legislation didn't have enough support. Lawmakers generally focused at the time on a separate package of bills put forth by Gov. Martin O'Malley.
