It appears that Queens Assemblyman Anthony Seminerio, the biggest local Dem ally of Republican Senator Serph Maltese, was pulling a Joe Bruno by running a "consulting" firm out of his house that the feds believe crossed the line into criminality. Liz is reporting that the indictment(s) will be unsealed later today. She quotes a release from US Attorney Michael Garcia:
A press conference will be held today to announce the unsealing of a criminal complaint charging New York State Assemblyman Anthony Seminerio with honest services fraud relating to his alleged receipt of hundreds of thousands of dollars in corrupt payments from various entities with business before the State of New York.
Seminerio and Maltese are very tight and go way, way back. Liz notes:
NOTE: A reader points out that trouble for Seminerio, who has run in the past on both the Democrat and Conservative lines, won't be helpful to GOP Sen. Serphin Maltese, whose district overlaps with Seminerio's and who is a top target of the Democrats as they try to take over the Senate this fall.
Seminerio and Maltese have been close for many years, one Queens source called Seminerio "Serf's single most reliable Democratic supporter going back to when he was first elected."
AND, Seminerio is the second lawmaker close to Maltese who has been indicted in recent months (the first being his former aide and now-ex councilman, Dennis Gallagher, who pleaded guilty to sexual misconduct charges and gave up his seat as a result).
Things are already tough for Maltese. This isn't helping.
On the web: Joe Addabbo at ActBlue. |
