Next week will kick off the long-awaited trial of New York Senator Dean Skelos and Adam Skelos, who were arrested earlier this year as part of a federal investigation into a litany of corruption charges. Senator Skelos and Adam Skelos are long-time supporters and friends of Congressman Lee Zeldin.
So far, Zeldin has refused to discuss details or answer questions about the Skelos’ close ties and support. Zeldin has even refused to disavow Senator Skelos and Adam Skelos and return the contributions to his campaign, raising questions about the extent of his relationship and loyalty to the two.
Senator Dean Skelos mentored and recruited Zeldin to run for the State Senate where the two were partners in the Long Island delegation. Skelos later gave his nod of approval for Zeldin to run for Congress last year.
Zeldin has also received thousands of dollars from Dean and Adam Skelos to support his state senate and congressional campaigns. Zeldin even took a contribution from Adam Skelos earlier this year, shortly before he was arrested in May.
“As the trial of Congressman Zeldin’s friends Senator Dean and Adam Skelos kicks off next week, Zeldin still refuses to answer questions about his close partnership with the two and their long-time support,” said Bryan Lesswing at the DCCC. “Instead of standing up to government corruption, Zeldin has remained silent in support of crooked politicians who ‘pay to play’ in Albany. Zeldin’s actions are exactly the kind of behavior Suffolk County voters are sick of seeing from elected officials, and why Long Island deserves a change in next year’s election.”
Background
Zeldin Accepted $12,250 From Dean & Adam Skelos For State Senate Campaigns: [New York State Board of Elections – Contribution Search, accessed 5/5/15]
Zeldin Accepted $250 From Adam Skelos In March 2015: [FEC, accessed 5/6/15]
Zeldin Was The Only Federal Candidate To Receive Contribution From Adam Skelos. [FEC, accessed 5/6/15]
Dean Skelos Recruited Zeldin To Run For The New York State Senate. “Lee Zeldin, who ran a spirited campaign against Rep. Tim Bishop in 2008, is re-entering the political arena as the Republican challenger to state Sen. Brian Foley next year. Zeldin, 29, said Republican Senate leader Dean Skelos asked him in January to run against Foley, a freshman senator from Blue Point. [Long Island Business News, 8/7/09]
Dean Skelos Wished Zeldin The “Best Of Luck” With His Congressional Run And That He Was The “Right Age To Make The Move.” “Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre) said Zeldin is ‘the right age to make the move’ and wished him the ‘best of luck’ in the race. He said the party had not yet looked at potential successors but said the GOP has a ‘lot of potential candidates’ in the district and thinks ‘we’ll keep the seat.’” [Newsday, 10/6/13]
In The New York Senate, Dean Skelos And Zeldin Were Leaders Of The “Long Island Nine.” “After four months of waiting for the New York State Assembly to pass Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s property tax cap proposal, Long Island’s Republican Senate delegation has had enough. The Long Island Nine, led by Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos, R-Rockville Centre, and freshman Sen. Lee Zeldin, R-Shirley, blasted the Assembly’s Democratic leadership under Speaker Sheldon Silver for holding up the proposal to implement a 2 percent property tax cap on all taxing districts across the state.” [Long Island Business News, 5/19/11]
Dean Skelos: Zeldin Was A “Winner.” “Senate Minority Leader Dean Skelos, called Zeldin’s race one of the Senate GOP’s top three races of a half-dozen now targeted statewide. ‘We believe he’s a winner,’ he said, predicting Foley’s record and Democrats’ inept budget performance will mean ‘a slam dunk for Lee.’” [Newsday, 5/15/10]