Already facing troubling questions about a massive embezzlement scandal that occurred during his tenure as Staten Island District Attorney, embattled Representative Dan Donovan is facing another daunting obstacle: a primary challenge from former Congressman and convicted felon Michael Grimm.
Grimm served two-terms in Congress representing Staten Island and parts of Brooklyn, but to the vast majority of the public, Grimm is synonymous with corruption, scandal and violent behavior. In 2014, after more than two years under FBI investigation, Grimm pleaded guilty to felony tax evasion, resigned his seat, and served seven months in federal prison. The conviction served as the capstone for a bizarre tenure, during which Grimm made headlines for threatening to throw a reporter off a balcony and saying that he would “break [the reporter] in half. Like a boy.”
Convicted felons don’t normally make strong candidates, but Donovan’s recent troubles may have opened the door to a Grimm candidacy. Earlier this year, multiple reports exposed details surrounding a massive fraud conducted during Dan Donovan’s tenure as Staten Island District Attorney. Donovan’s hand-picked procurement manager, William Nelson, allegedly stole more than $440,000 in taxpayer dollars to spend on vacations, collectibles and consumer goods.
“Talk about a win-win situation—next year, the Democratic candidate will get to face either a convicted felon or an elected official whose incompetence appears to have enabled a massive embezzlement of taxpayer dollars,” said DCCC Spokesman Evan Lukaske. “Democrats are excited to see who comes out on top in the GOP’s race to the bottom.”
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