"Ethics Committee Clears 2 Lawmakers," The Washington Post, July 29, 1998 <p>The Washington Post, July 29, 1998 <p>Copyright 1998 The Washington Post <br>The Washington Post <p>July 29, 1998, Wednesday, Final Edition <p>SECTION: METRO; Pg. B03; METRO IN BRIEF <p>HEADLINE: METRO IN BRIEF <p>Ethics Committee Clears 2 Lawmakers The General Assembly's legislative ethics committee says two Baltimore lawmakers didn't break the law by lobbying to steer subsidies worth more than $ 1 million to a project headed by their chief political strategist. The panel briefly discussed a seven-month-old complaint that Sen. Nathaniel J. McFadden and Del. Hattie N. Harrison, both Democrats, had improperly increased the value of the strategist's real estate project. The Joint Committee on Legislative Ethics, in a closed-door session last week, decided there was no suggestion that either lawmaker had benefited personally, and the panel chose not to conduct a formal investigation. Del. John S. Morgan (R-Howard) said he and his colleagues on the committee were advised that state ethics laws do not specifically address the questions raised about the two lawmakers. Maryland legislators are forbidden from using their official positions for personal gain, but there are no equally clear standards governing helping friends or campaign workers.