Md. State Sen. Garagiola Gets Ethics Reprimand

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) -- State Senate Majority Leader Rob Garagiola is being reprimanded for an ethics violation linked to his employment by a Washington lobbying firm from 2001-03.

The Joint Committee on Legislative Ethics confirmed Thursday it sent the Montgomery County Democrat the letter after investigating a citizen complaint.

The complaint involved Garagiola's failure to report on ethics disclosure forms income he received from Greenberg Traurig.

The committee said no further proceedings are justified because Garagiola filed paperwork soon after taking office in 2003 stating the appearance of a conflict of interest related to his health-care work with a law firm he didn't identify.

The complaint was filed by Randa Fahmy Hudome, a former George W. Bush administration official, during Garagiola's failed primary campaign in Maryland's 6th Congressional District.

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