Community Corner

DCCC: Turner Should Return Grimm's 'Tainted Cash'

Committee says GOP Rep. needs to distance himself from Staten Island Congressman.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, a group already firmly committed to shoving U.S. Rep. Bob Turner out of office later this year, has leveled a new claim against him: supposedly accepting dirty campaign funds.

The DCCC sent an e-mail to members and the press yesterday, demanding that Turner, R-Forest Hills, return $1,000 in campaign funds that were donated to him last August by U.S. Rep. Michael Grimm, R-Staten Island.

Grimm is in hot water lately for his reported connections to a fundraising bundler who allegedly packaged contributions for the Congressman in excess of established campaign finance limits, using "straw donors" and other methods.

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“Congressman Bob Turner will be endorsing the worst kind of political corruption by continuing to hold on to tainted campaign cash he received from Congressman Michael Grimm,” said Josh Schwerin of the DCCC. “Congressman Turner should disassociate himself from his scandal-plagued colleague and return the money immediately.”

Turner’s office did not respond to a request for comment on the issue.

Find out what's happening in Forest Hillswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

He was not the only legislator who received money from Grimm’s committee, Michael Grimm For Congress. Alabama Congressman Spencer Bachus received $500, and upstate State Sen. Michael Nozzolio received $1,000 for print ads, according to campaign filings with the FEC.


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