We've been keeping an eye on freshman Rep. Michael Grimm, a New York Republican, who's found himself facing all kinds of trouble in advance of his first re-election bid. This week appears to be a good-news/bad-news situation for the conservative lawmaker.
The good news is the Office of Congressional Ethics wrapped up its investigation of Grimm, and said it will not pursue any formal charges. The OCE makes recommendations to the House Ethics Committee, so this appears to be one less thing for Grimm to worry about.
The bad news is, the House ethics panel isn't Grimm's only problem.
A federal Brooklyn grand jury is probing alleged fundraising shenanigans in freshman Congressman Michael Grimm's 2010 campaign, the Daily News has learned.The FBI's public corruption unit has interviewed at least four campaign workers investigating allegations that Grimm accepted illegal campaign contributions, law enforcement sources said.At least two of those workers have received subpoenas to testify before a grand jury, but both volunteered to answer questions.
As a rule, when a sitting congressman is facing an investigation from the FBI's public corruption, and subpoenas have been issued as part of a grand jury probe, it's not good news four months before Election Day.
A law enforcement source told the New York Daily News, "Let's say, so far, it is a tool to get people's attention -- that we are serious about our questions about the congressman."
Incidentally, Grimm was a Romney campaign surrogate -- right up until Romney HQ decided that might not be such a good idea.
For those unfamiliar with Grimm's troubles, the New York Times ran a report in February on allegations the congressman skirted fundraising limits and accepted envelopes with cash in them in 2010. The Times also documented Grimm's business partnership with a fellow former FBI agent who was indicted on racketeering and fraud charges.