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(CNN) - U.S. Rep. Michael Grimm failed to report more than $1 million in sales and wages at a Manhattan restaurant he once ran, using unreported cash to pay workers "off the books" to "evade taxes and keep more money for himself," a federal prosecutor said.
Grimm, R-New York, pleaded not guilty on Monday in federal court in Brooklyn to 20 counts, including mail fraud, wire fraud, filing false tax returns, hiring unauthorized aliens and perjury.
A former FBI agent who used to investigate fraud, Grimm wore a dark suit and was not handcuffed during the hearing.
He was released on $400,000 bond, secured by his home in Staten Island. As conditions for his release, Grimm, 44, must surrender his guns and passport.
He told reporters that he would remain in office while fighting the charges. He's up for re-election in November.
"I'm going to fight tooth and nail ... until I am fully exonerated," Grimm said.
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We want you to weigh in: Do you think Rep. Michael Grimm (R-NY) should step down from office?
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Posted by CNN's Christina Manduley Filed under: Fireback • Michael Grimm • Political scandal • Politics |
Author, documentary filmmaker, historian, Speaker of the House (1995-1999), and 2012 Republican presidential candidate
Fmr. Obama Deputy Campaign Mgr. and W.H. Sr. Adviser, founder of Precision Strategies, fmr. Sr. Adviser to Maj. Leader Reid and Sen. Kennedy
Conservative columnist for New York Daily News, contributing editor at Townhall Magazine, commentator and author
Former Special Adviser for Green Jobs under President Obama, co-founder of Rebuild the Dream, author and attorney
He has two choices: get out or be voted out
This looks like the unprovable charges brought against Republican Sen Watts? of Alaska. The prosecution never did go forward but he did drop out of the race because his name was so besmirched.
Sing to the tune of "Supercalifragilistic..":
H-E-A-L-T-H-A-L-I-C-I-O-U-S
Healthalicious pays in cash and leaves the tax man clueless.
In the books Grimm keeps for show no figure could be true less
Than the bogus wages that keep his poor workers shoe-less!
Well, of course,
I forgot about Charlie Rangel. Some democrats are as pure as the new driven snow. Tom Delay, former congressman of Texas was the object of a witch hunt. So was Scooter Libbey in conjunction with the "Outing" of Valery Plane. Dirty Politics are a given with some democrats such as Harry Reid with his illicit remarks on the Senate Floor about Mitt Romney's Taxes.
Good Lord, how many current democrats should step down? Reid, Pelosi. Wasserman Schultz, etc, etc,etc.
Only after Charlie the Crook Rangel steps down first.
Why isn't cnn asking reid, pelosi, obozo, holder, etc to step down. What they have done to the country is much worse!
The GOP Prayer/Mantra/Solution: Dear God...With your loving kindness, help us to turn all the Old, Sick, Poor, Non-white, Non-christian, Female, and Gay people into slaves. Then, with your guidance and compassion, we will whip them until they are Young, Healthy, Rich, White, Christian, Male, and Straight. Or until they are dead. God...Grant us the knowledge to then turn them into Soylent Green to feed the military during the next "unfunded/off-the-books" war. God...Give us the strength during our speeches to repeatedly yell........TAX CUTS FOR THE RICH!!!..........and........GET RID OF SS AND MEDICARE!!!
In your name we prey (purposely misspelled, or is it?)........Amen
I guess I would take this question more seriously, if this reporter had also asked if Hillary Clinton should step down after her infamous remarks "What difference does it make?" What about the good Barney Frank or Chris Dodd who were largely responsible for the Bank Crisis who both declared "we don't have a problem with Sally Mae. You remember they were in charge of the House and Senate Committees responsible. Why weren't they asked to step down? We all know that CNN carries the water for the Democrat Party. End of Story
Step down?? Michael Grimm should have already been fired for threatening the news reporter at the Capital building by saying, "He was going to throw him over the balcony". He has no ethics and he's working in our government by still having his job. It isn't right to go around threatening people, regardless to who you are. As far as the rest of what he's done, innocent until proven guilty.
No. Innocent until proven guilty. Besides, they arrested him just after the deadline for the Republicans' ability to find another candidate. Besides, how does Charlie Rangel still get elected???
Because Charlie Rangel was not criminally charged or under indictment.
Should Michael Grimm step down? Of course not it doesn't rise to the level of having consensual sex in the whitehouse. Now that will get you impeached.