IS THIS THE BEGINNING OF GRIMMGATE ?

Rabbi’s Followers Cast Doubts on Congressman’s Fund-Raising

By ALISON LEIGH COWAN and WILLIAM K. RASHBAUM

Published: January 27, 2012

Soon after he began running for Congress in 2009, Michael G. Grimm, a Staten Island Republican, needed to convince party leaders in Washington that he could raise enough money to become a viable candidate. Seeking help, he turned to an unlikely source: followers of an Orthodox rabbi and mystic from Israel.

Mr. Grimm, a former agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation and a Roman Catholic who regularly attends Sunday Mass, traveled around the New York region with one of the rabbi’s top aides, Ofer Biton, to raise campaign money from the rabbi’s followers. In all, the Grimm campaign collected more than $500,000 from the followers, according to numerous interviews and an analysis of Mr. Grimm’s campaign records.

That money — more than half of the total that Mr. Grimm raised from individuals — proved instrumental in his upset of the Democratic incumbent in November 2010. Since then, Mr. Grimm has established a profile as a rising Republican star.

But now, Mr. Biton, an Israeli citizen, is being investigated by the F.B.I. and federal prosecutors in Brooklyn over accusations that he embezzled millions of dollars from the rabbi’s congregation. And an examination by The New York Times has highlighted Mr. Biton’s unusual role in the Grimm campaign — as well as questionable donations that the rabbi’s followers said Mr. Grimm had accepted.

The examination of Mr. Grimm’s fund-raising was based on more than 15 interviews with followers and associates of the rabbi, Yoshiyahu Yosef Pinto, who divides his time between Israel and Manhattan, where he has a large congregation.

(MORE)

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SI Congressman Fundraising Scrutinized: Report NBC New York -  Michael Grimm's ties to the aide of an influential rabbi is being scrutinized for ... Michael Grimm, a former agent with the FBI and devout Catholic, ...

Michael Grimm Faces Serious Fundraising Allegations PolitickerNY -  By Colin Campbell 1/28 8:27am The New York Times reports Republican Congressman Michael Grimm may have broken the law fundraising for his first campaign two ...

Feds probing NY lawmaker's fundraiser

Jewish Telegraphic Agency - 

Michael Grimm may have steered illegal campaign donations to the freshman New York lawmaker. The New York Times reported Jan. 27 that Ofer Biton, ...

New allegations question Grimm's campaign financing

SILive.com - 

2, 2010: Michael Grimm greeted supporters as he took the lead on ...Michael Grimm used his ties to an Israeli rabbi and mystic to strong-arm donors for ...

Staten Island Representative Michael Grimm Accused of Tapping ... New York Magazine (blog) -  By Andre Tartar A little over a year ago, Representative Michael Grimmwas headed to Washington as part of the new freshman class of tea partiers who broke ...

Rep. Grimm Allegedly Took $500K In Mystical, Illegal Donations

Gothamist - 

... Rabbi Yoshiyahu Yosef Pinto were allegedly strong-armed into illegally donating over $500000 to Staten Island Congressman Michael Grimm'scampaign fund.

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Looks like another scandal to follow and we love to follow scandals.

I am sure there will be plenty more in the coming months.

The "FEDS" are busy bee's and this time they have a Republican in the sights,

But maybe Grimm is still an undercover agent ?

Before there was the "Oracle at Delphi" there was Count Vampire J. Machiavelli

VJ Machiavelli

www.VJMachiavelli.blogspot.com

Power to the People who "VOTE"