Update
Judge: De Blasio bribery claim is fair game at Mangano trial
Even when an Honorable Judge allows testimony regarding Lurch’s chicanery in a court of law, the portly hickJurors at the upcoming corruption trial of ex-Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano can hear that the prosecution’s star witness claims he bribed Mayor Bill de Blasio — but not that Hizzoner avoided charges, a judge ruled Wednesday.
Long Island federal Judge Joan Azrack said defense lawyers will be allowed to question former restaurateur Harendra Singh about “everything he said about de Blasio and the de Blasio administration.”
But Azrack said the decisions by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. and then-acting Manhattan US Attorney Joon Kim not to prosecute de Blasio were “irrelevant” to the case and off-limits for questioning.
Prosecutors had all this, but still didn’t charge de Blasio?
Richard Morales had been cooperating with investigators on two
matters: the mysterious deed change that allowed the sale of a Lower East Side
nursing home to developers, who netted a $72 million profit, and strong-arm
efforts to cut Singh a sweetheart deal.
Morales says he was present when a top de Blasio aide pressured his boss to construct a totally false narrative that would exonerate the mayor’s office in the nursing home fiasco.
“straw” donors whose contributions were reimbursed by others
Jia “Jenny” Hou
guilty of attempted wire fraud, obstruction of justice
and making false statements, but acquitted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
During the trial, her ex-boyfriend testified that Hou had
offered to reimburse him if he gave $500 to the campaign.
DCAS Commissioner Lisette Camilo — alleges “wrongful
conduct” by the defendants that “includes interceding on behalf of politically
connected donors in order to aid their attempts to gain favorable terms in
dealings with the City; attempting to arrange for City officials to give
knowingly false testimony under oath before the N.Y.C. City Council; and
harassing and retaliating against Morales for cooperating with investigations
into the wrongdoing.”
Court papers say Morales then began a series of sit-downs with Singh, culminating in a July 15, 2015 meeting at which Singh and Neal Kwatra — a lobbyist and political consultant with ties to the mayor — exploded in rage and stormed out when Morales refused to give Singh “special treatment.”
But Morales’ suit notes the January unsealing of Singh’s
secret, 2016 guilty plea to bribing de Blasio with tens of thousands of dollars
in campaign cash in exchange for a lease renewal for Water’s Edge “on terms
that were favorable to me.”
Singh, his family members and other associates raised a
total of $33,000 for de Blasio since 2010. In July 2015, he met with one of the
mayor’s top aides, Emma Wolfe, and the Department of Citywide Administrative
Services to convince the city agency to provide more favorable leasing terms.
https://therealdeal.com/2018/01/24/campaign-donor-admitted-trying-to-bribe-mayor-over-restaurant-lease/
De Blasio’s staff allegedly told crooked donor to fake
receipt saying campaign paid for fund-raiser
