Grimm "called out" by the FEC for bringing in illegally large campaign donations from Boehner and Ryan.
Another completely new campaign financing scandal might entangle Congressman Grimm — This time a woman fundraiser has been arrested in connection with donations to the Grimm campaign through a straw donor [as updated on 1/14/14]
Federal authorities have cited Staten Island Representative Michael Grimm for receiving illegally large campaign contributions from House Speaker John Boehner and former GOP vice presidential nominee Rep. Paul Ryan. Grimm’s 2014 primary campaign got $4,000 from the “Friends of John Boehner” and $5,000 from Wisconsin Republican Paul Ryan’s “Prosperity Action Committee.” In a letter to Grimm dated January 8th, the Federal Election Commission stated that both contributions violated the $2,600 limit for a single donor for a single election cycle ( See “Federal Election Commission flags Rep. Michael Grimm for receiving illegally large contributions” by Dan Friedman, 1/11/14, NY Daily News [http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/feds-flag-grimm-receiving-illegally-large-contributions-article-1.1576182]).
The buzz from somebody very familiar with the questions being asked is that, a national news organization has been asking lots of questions about Grimm’s allegedly close personal relationship with a female fund-raiser from a state well south of the southern tip of Staten Island. That woman seems to be involved in a campaign financing investigation completely unrelated to any of the charges now being made against Congressman Grimm. [However see "UPDATE" comment below]
I recently heard a wise man call Grimm a scorpion....
ReplyDeleteI heard the same thing.
DeleteI think it was delivered as an allegory or fable; and then the metaphor of the scorpion was applied to people like Mr. Grimm.
I remember the same allegory... how apropo.
DeleteUPDATE: THE “MAYBE IT WAS THE MONEY INTO GRIMM’S CAMPAIGN AFTER ALL” EDITION
ReplyDeleteMAYBE THE BUZZ I HEARD WAS FUZZ — IT WAS REALLY ANOTHER SCANDAL ABOUT GRIMM’S CAMPAIGN FINANCES AFTER ALL
According to federal authorities, a female fundraiser for Staten Island congressman Michael Grimm, Diana Durand, has been arrested in connection with an alleged campaign finance scheme. Ms.Durand was arrested by the FBI and accused of using straw donors to allegedly funnel more than $10,000 into the Grimm campaign, and then lying to federal agents when questioned about the scheme and her alleged violations of the $4,800 federal campaign limits. One of the fake donors is described as a personal friend of Ms. Durand, who allegedly told authorities that Durand suggested that she donate to Grimm’s campaign and that Durand would reimburse her (See “Fundraiser for NY Congressman Arrested in Campaign Finance Scheme” by Jonathan Dienst and Joe Valiquette, 1/13/14, 4 New York [http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Michael-Grimm-Fundraiser-Diana-Durand-Arrested-Straw-Donors-Funneling-Money-Staten-Island-240011481.html]).
The News 4 report goes on to say that Grimm, a Republican, has not been charged with any wrongdoing. His attorney William McGinley said: "We are saddened that the government took the extraordinary step of arresting a single mother on these allegations, and hope the matter will be resolved quickly. The complaint does not allege any improper conduct by Congressman Grimm, and he denies any wrongdoing.”
UPDATE: THE "MORE THE MERRIER" EDITION
DeleteTHE HUFF POST REPORTS AT LEAST ONE CANDIDATE OTHER THAN GRIMM IS INVOLVED IN DIANA DURAND'S STRAW DONOR SCAM
In addition to material similar to what appeared in the article cited above, the Huffington Post reports that a "Straw Donor #2" is also involved; and that "Straw Donor #2" [ ] told the FBI that Durand gave him or her money to make a donation to another unnamed candidate during the 2010 campaign cycle...." ( See "FBI Arrests GOP Rep's Ex-Girlfriend On Straw Donation Charges" 1/14/14, Huff Post Politics [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/14/michael-grimm-diana-durand_n_4595691.html]). Thus it's clear that this scandal will probably spread to candidates and possibly elected officials other than Congressman Grimm.
The hits just keep on coming....
ReplyDeletehttp://www.richardsilverstein.com/2014/01/10/fbi-accuses-israeli-police-cabinet-minister-of-sabotaging-congressional-corruption-investigation/
...Great link to a different angle on the FBI investigations involving "Congressman Grimm" AND possibly interesting background on a Grimm trip to Israel....
DeleteUPDATE: THE “NOW THAT’S WHAT I WAS TALKIN’ ABOUT” EDITION
ReplyDeleteDAILY NEWS ACCOUNT FILLS IN SOME OF THE TAWDRY DETAILS THAT I ALLUDED TO IN MY ORIGINAL POST
According to Dan Friedman in the Daily News, “FBI agents arrested a onetime girlfriend of Staten Island Rep. Michael Grimm on charges of circumventing federal campaign laws to funnel money to the congressman. *** Diana Durand, 47, was pinched Friday in Houston, and faces charges of election fraud and lying to agents, FBI officials confirmed Monday (See “EXCLUSIVE: FBI arrests pal of Rep. Michael Grimm on charges of election fraud related to donations” by Dan Friedman, 1/13/14-1/14/14, NY Daily News [http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/exclusive-fbi-arrest-rep-grimm-pal-charges-election-fraud-article-1.1578466]).
The News article goes on to state the following: “Durand was a ‘personal friend of Candidate A,’ the complaint says, and sources said Grimm and Durand became romantically involved when Grimm had business interests in Texas in 2008. *** After contributing $4,800, the maximum amount allowed, Durand recruited straw donors who she paid back for their contributions, the complaint charges. *** The Texan lavished two friends with praise for helping her dodge election laws. ‘I just wanted to thank you both again for helping me out with (Candidate A’s) campaign last week,’ Durand wrote in an April 5, 2010, email quoted in the complaint. ‘I can’t tell you how priceless it is to have friends that I can count on to do something like that, simply PRICELESS,’ she continued, making arrangement for the payback. ‘I still have to make the deposit but I can write you both a check, or I can get your account numbers and do a transfer, whatever works for you.’ ”
Did Ms. Durand have a hand in originally steering Mike Grimm back to NYC to run for the Staten Island-Brooklyn seat then held by Congressman McMahon?
DeleteUPDATE & BACKFILL: STATEN ISLAND ADVANCE GIVES AN IN DEPTH ACCOUNT OF ALL THE TROUBLE SWIRLING AROUND CONGRESSMAN MIKE GRIMM
ReplyDeleteFor full story with even more detail... (See “FBI arrests Houston friend of Staten Island Rep. Grimm for allegedly making illegal donations to his 2010 campaign” by Tom Wrobleski, 1/13/14-1/14/14, Staten Island Advance [http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2014/01/fbi_arrests_houston_friend_of.html]).
Will State Senator Marty Golden be calling on federal authorities to release the identity of "candidate A" and then demanding that he resign?
ReplyDeleteHow dare you, sir ! The Honorable Republican-Conservative State Senator from Brooklyn would never do such a thing to a fellow Republican, would he ?
DeleteBesides, the SI Advance did report that credible sources have stated that "Candidate A" was Mike Grimm, who we now know as Congressman Michael Grimm.
MINI-UPDATE: THE HUFFINGTON POST IDENTIFIES IT'S SOURCE THAT "CANDIDATE A" IS MIKE GRIMM
DeleteAccording to the Huff Post, Grimm's own attorney acknowledged that Congressman Grimm was "Candidate A" ( See "FBI Arrests GOP Rep's Ex-Girlfriend On Straw Donation Charges" 1/14/14, Huff Post Politics [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/14/michael-grimm-diana-durand_n_4595691.html]).
Yeah, and Recchia never pulled a scam.
ReplyDeletePuleeeez !!
So, whoever you are, you seem ready to concede that Congressman Grimm is clearly a campaign financing scammer. And that basically, your defense is that "Everybody does it."
DeleteSERIOUSLY ! I MEAN "SERIOUSLY !" --- and I quote with Steve Martin-style emphasis, " PULEEEEZ ! !"
If anything happens with this Grimm problem, Nicole Malliotakis should run for that seat. A Greek-Cuban-Woman who is an amazing elected official could win that seat and keep it R
ReplyDeleteShe might be the only Republican who can hold the seat. It might require a young Republican woman after guys like Grimm and Fossella.
DeleteWAIT A MINUTE ! ! ! Wasn't New York Conservative Party Chairman Mike Long in the weeds pulling strings to get Grimm the Republican and Conservative nomination for Congress in 2010 ?
ReplyDelete... just askin'....
We are reaping the change that a sizable minority of Brooklyn Republicans want(ed).
DeleteYou are nuts or only trying to rewrite history? You imply that Republicans for Change had something to do with these fundraising problems for Grimm in 2010. First off, RFC did not even exist yet; second, many of the RFC's strongest supporters started off by not backing Grimm in the 2010 Republican Primary.
DeleteEverybody does it.
ReplyDeleteExcept losers who have no money for straw donors
BACKFILL (OF SORTS): THE "NO NEED TO REINVENT THE WHEEL !" EDITION
DeleteFrom: "Anonymous January 14, 2014 at 3:07 PM" above:
So, whoever you are, you seem ready to concede that Congressman Grimm is clearly a campaign financing scammer. And that [literally] your defense is that "Everybody does it....."
Can't wait to see that on the Grimm literature and mail !
UPDATE: THE “GRIMM SCHOCK TREATMENT” EDITION
ReplyDeleteCHICAGO TRIBUNE NAMES REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN AARON SCHOCK OF ILLINOIS AS PROBABLY “CANDIDATE B” IN DIANA DURAND CHARGES
The Chicago Tribune has reported that the Houston woman, who was arrested by the FBI last week for allegedly funneling illegal campaign money to two unspecified candidates for federal office, has donated to the campaign of Representative Aaron Schock, Republican of Illinois. The Tribune article mentions the federal complaint, in which Diana Durand is accused of campaign-finance violations involving two office-seekers identified only as "Candidate A" and "Candidate B." However, the paper notes that "Candidate A" was identified by New York papers as Michael Grimm; and by their own analysis of donations to Aaron Schock, the Chicago Tribune has concluded that he is "Candidate B” (See “Schock donor tied to campaign finance case” by Katherine Skiba, 1/15/14, Chicago Tribune/Chicagoland [http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-campaign-finance-charges-met-20140115,0,5339539.story]).
Like Congressman Grimm, Congressman Aaron Schock is being investigated for many possible campaign financing violations.
Giving dollars to straw donors is about as serious as spitting on the sidewalk.
ReplyDeleteGet real. All money in political campaigns is tainted.
Where do you think Schumer got his 21 million dollars?
Sounds like a REAL winning argument to me.... It will probably work equally well on the campaign trail and, if necessary, in Federal Court....
DeleteThat is sarcasm, is it not?
DeleteUPDATE & BACKFILL: THE “OH PLEASE, STAY BY ME, DIANA....” EDITION
ReplyDeleteSEVERAL OF GRIMM’S ALLEGED FUND RAISING SCANDALS ARE PERKING UP AT THE SAME TIME
According to Dan Friedman’s report in the Daily News yesterday, “U.S. Rep. Michael Grimm’s former girlfriend — accused of illegally steering money to his 2010 campaign — appears to be bucking pressure from feds to implicate the Staten Island Republican in wrongdoing. *** Diana Durand, 47, was arraigned in a Houston federal court Wednesday on charges she used straw donors to give more than the legal limit on campaign donations to Grimm. Durand is also accused of steering straw donations to Rep. Aaron Schock (R-Ill.) and lying to FBI agents....” (See “US Rep. Grimm’s ex-girlfriend stands by her former man in campaign money case” by Dan Friedman, 1/15/14, NY Daily News [http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/rep-grimm-ex-girlfriend-stands-man-article-1.1581434#commentpostform]). Durand’s attorney, Stuart Kaplan, said that Durand, a single mother with one child, was the victim of a government squeeze targeting Grimm.
In addition to the above, there have been developments in the long-running investigation of possible illegal foreign fund raising for Congressman Grimm. The Staten Island Advance reported, “In the midst of revelations about [a bribery case in Israel involving Rabbi Yoshiyahu Pinto], Israeli media on Thursday reported that a former senior Israeli government minister and police officials tried to discourage Pinto from cooperating in the FBI investigation of Grimm” (See “Reports: Israelis looked to shield Grimm in FBI fundraising probe involving rabbi” by Tom Wrobleski, 1/16/14, Staten Island Advance [http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2014/01/reports_israeli_officials_look.html])..
Both the Democrats and Republicans are starting their processes of selecting the 2014 candidates to run for Congress in Grimm’s district. On the Brooklyn side of the district, many in the Brooklyn GOP are pushing Republican County Leader Eaton not to support Grimm for re-election.