Eric Holder's Department of Justice is, to be blunt, a little suspect these days (and I am being nice). But if you tell me that someone's campaign received improper contributions based on an existing conviction, I do not find it implausible that the politician might be dirty, too. From
April 25, 2014 Fox News:
During that race, Grimm has acknowledged receiving $250,000 to
$300,000 in contributions from followers of an Israeli rabbi, Yoshiyahu
Yosef Pinto. Some members of Pinto's congregation subsequently said they
made tens of thousands of dollars in illegal contributions, including
gifts passed through straw donors.
Grimm has denied knowledge of any improprieties, and the FBI hasn't
accused him of any wrongdoing. The Israeli businessman who had served as
Grimm's liaison to Pinto's followers, Ofer Biton, pleaded guilty in
August to an immigration fraud charge.
Three days after that guilty plea, the FBI filed a sealed criminal
complaint accusing a Houston woman who had been romantically involved
with Grimm of using straw donors to make illegal campaign contributions.
The same article mentions the polite way that Rep. Grimm responds to press inquiries:
Grimm made headlines in January after confronting a New York City
cable news station reporter who tried to question him about a
long-running FBI investigation into campaign finance on a balcony in the
Capitol.
After reporter Michael Scotto finished his report, Grimm stormed
back, leaned into him and said, "Let me be clear to you. If you ever do
that to me again, I'll throw you off this (expletive) balcony."
I mean, Rep. Grimm does represent New York, so I can't claim to be surprised. Perhaps I should be surprised that he merely threatened him, instead of having guys named Louie, Shorty, and Vinnie deal with the reporter.
Of interest, the third word in the report is "Republican".
ReplyDeleteCheers
Grimm is also a former FBI agent. He represents Staten Island and part of Brooklyn. I think that part of Brooklyn has a big Orthodox community.
ReplyDeleteThe Pinto connection looks like a classic bit of sleaze - "religious" leader, ethnic tribalism, influence peddling, charity abuse. Orthodox Jewry seems especially susceptible. Pinto is under indictment in Israel.
It might be political, but...
One thing about the Holder DoJ - black politicians don't have an automatic get-out-of-jail-free card. They've prosecuted a fair number. And they haven't been going hell-for-leather after Republican officeholders.