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By Will Bredderman
Brooklyn Daily
Talk about Grimm tidings.
Friday’s late-day announcement of the impending indictment of Rep. Michael Grimm (R–Bay Ridge) has both Democrats and Republicans in shock — and may force a bizarre election-year scenario.
“Nobody expected this, nobody saw this coming,” said a source close to Grimm’s staff. “We’re all in shock.”
Lawyers for the Staten Island-to-Gravesend congressman — who has long battled allegations that his first campaign in 2010 strong-armed illegal contributions from Israeli nationals — said they anticipate Grimm will be asked to turn himself over to Federal authorities in the next few days, even as they blasted the investigation as a partisan ploy.
“From the beginning, the government has pursued a politically driven vendetta against Congressman Grimm and not an independent search for the truth. Congressman Grimm asserts his innocence of any wrongdoing,” said the pol’s attorney William McGinley in a statement.
A source in Grimm’s camp predicted the pol would fight the indictment.
“He’s maintained his innocence from the beginning, he’s told everybody,” the insider said.
Democrats — who are backing former Coney Island Councilman Domenic Recchia to unseat the GOP incumbent — were similarly amazed that the United States Attorney’s office moved against Grimm in the heat of an election year.
“They’re usually sympathetic to the political calendar, and would not do it when it would affect the outcome of an election,” said a leading Democrat in the district, who asked not to be named.
But other experts disagreed.
“I don’t think the U.S. government decides upon when it is going to indict somebody based upon election law calendar in a particular state,” said election lawyer Jerry Goldfeder. “They indict someone when they’re ready to indict.”
Goldfeder also noted that the deadline for Grimm to drop out of the race has passed — meaning that he will appear on the ballot in November, no matter what.
The only option, should Grimm decide not to seek re-election, is for the pol to run for a judgeship. This would allow another top Republican to run for the seat in the House. Sources named possible contenders such as Staten Island District Attorney Dan Donovan and ex-Rep. Vito Fossella, who held Grimm’s seat from 1997 until 2009, when he stepped down after a drunk-driving arrest just outside of Washington, D.C. led to the discovery that he had sired a child out of wedlock and had a second family.
Political experts recommended Grimm bow out of the campaign.
“If he gets indicted, Recchia’s chances of victory increase exponentially,” said political strategist and lobbyist Hank Sheinkopf. “It’s a very clear message. Someone is telling Mr. Grimm not to run again, and somethimes when people tell you something, you should listen.”
Sources close to Grimm’s staff said no decision about the race has been made.
Meanwhile, Democrats described the scene at Recchia’s campaign headquarters on the Rock as jubilant.
“They’re popping champagne bottles over there,” a source said.