Huntley
A State Senator surrendered to authorities on Monday, becoming the latest elected official slammed with corruption charges.
According to several published reports, Shirley Huntley (D-Jamaica) was led away from the Nassau County Courthouse in handcuffs following Attorney General Eric Schneidrman’s announcement of the charges against her – falsifying business records, conspiracy and tampering with the investigation of her alleged scheme to steal taxpayers’s dollars using a misleading non-for-profit.
Three others, including the politician’s niece, Lynn H. Smith, and an aide, Patricia D. Savage, have also been formally charged in the alleged cover-up where funds intended to assist parents in the public school system, were pocketed.
As part of a joint investigation by the offices of the Attorney General and Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, authorities discovered that Parent Workshop, Inc., the “non-for-profit” organization founded by Huntley, never held promised workshops or events that were slated to receive legislator member line funding. Instead, according to the indictment, the Smith and Savage submitted fraudulent documents to the state, claiming the fictitious events took place, when in fact they never intended to use the approximately $29,500 they pocketed for such purposes.
Court documents also reveal that Huntley personally wrote a template for a false, backdated letter designed to misrepresent the use of the funds and fool investigators into thinking the workshops had taken place.
The fourth individual, David R. Gantt, also accused of falsifying records to claim he was paid in cash for conducting workshops.
Huntley and her co-defendants all pleaded not-guilty.
The disgraced politician, who was elected in 2007, currently faces two felonies out of the three charges against her, would be automatically removed from office if convicted.
Her office offered no comment on the arrest.
Democratic District leader, Frank Gulluscio, said his concerns rest with the people Huntley represents.
“Unfortunately the evidence seems to be strongly supportive of some very grievous accusations,” Gulluscio said. “Under the circumstances, it’s appropriate for the senator to immediately step down.” He continued to say Huntley’s indictment is another reason to aggressively pursue cleaning up Albany.
The accusations against Huntley adds her name to long list of elected officials with tarnished reputations.
Last week, an internal investigation charged Assemblyman Vito Lopez (D-Brooklyn) with accusations of sexually harassing two female employees. State Senator Pedro Espada, Jr. (D-Bronx) is battling tax evasion charges and former State Senator Carl Kruger is currently serving a prison sentence for bribery charges.
By Katie Riordan
