BREAKING NEWS: New York Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin RESIGNS following his indictment on corruption charges over campaign donation scheme
- New York Lt Gov. Brian Benjamin resigned on Tuesday evening following an appearance in Manhattan federal court to face campaign finance fraud charges
- His arrest came after federal prosecutors and the FBI opened an investigation
- It looked at whether Benjamin helped distribute state money to contributors or their projects as part of a campaign finance fraud scheme
- The investigation into Benjamin began after the FBI arrested his fundraiser Gerald Migdolin for wire fraud in connection to Benjamin’s past fundraisings
New York Lt Gov. Brian Benjamin resigned on Tuesday evening following his arrest by authorities over campaign finance fraud-related charges.
Benjamin was arrested on charges of bribery, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, and two counts of falsification of records and appeared in Manhattan federal court earlier in the day. He left without talking to reporters.
The Governor of New York, Kathy Hochul, released a statement within minutes of Benjamin’s departure.
‘I have accepted Brian Benjamin’s resignation effective immediately. While the legal process plays out, it is clear to both of us that he cannot continue to serve as Lieutenant Governor. New Yorkers deserve absolute confidence in their government, and I will continue working every day to deliver for them.’
Federal prosecutors and the FBI had opened an investigation into whether Benjamin helped distribute state money to contributors or their projects as part of a campaign finance fraud scheme, NBC New York reported
The investigation into Benjamin began after the FBI arrested his fundraiser Gerald Migdolin in November for wire fraud in connection with Benjamin’s past fundraising.
New York Lt Gov. Brian Benjamin’s arrest and subsequent resignation comes after federal prosecutors and the FBI opened an investigation into his dealings
It’s alleged that Benjamin helped distribute state money to contributors or their projects as part of a campaign finance fraud scheme
Benjamin, a Democrat, was accused in an indictment of participating in a scheme to obtain campaign contributions from a real estate developer in exchange for Benjamin´s agreement to use his influence as a state senator to get a $50,000 grant of state funds for a nonprofit organization the developer controlled.
Facing charges including bribery, fraud, conspiracy and falsification of records, Benjamin pleaded not guilty Tuesday at an initial appearance in Manhattan federal court. He was released and bail was set at $250,000.
The terms of his release call for his travel to be restricted and bar him from returning to the state capitol in Albany.
Authorities outlined the case against Benjamin using a simply diagram to explain the alleged bribery scheme
New York Lt Gov. Brian Benjamin (pictured with Gov. Kathy Hochul) appeared in Manhattan federal court on Tuesday to face campaign finance fraud charges
The investigation into Benjamin began after the FBI arrested his fundraiser Gerald Migdolin (pictured) in November for wire fraud in connection with Benjamin’s past fundraising
Governor Hochul in September plucked Benjamin, then a state lawmaker, to serve as second-in-command when she became governor, taking over for Democrat Andrew Cuomo. Cuomo resigned amid allegations he sexually harassed 11 women, which he denied.
Benjamin, the Harlem-born son of Caribbean immigrants, became New York’s second Black lieutenant governor. David Paterson, a state senator from Harlem, became the state’s first in 2006. He took over as governor in 2007 when Gov. Eliot Spitzer resigned in a sex scandal.
At his September swearing-in, Hochul praised the 44-year-old Benjamin as an example of the American dream, saying he ‘started out with little, rose to where he is today but now turns back and doesn´t think about himself; he thinks about how he can serve not just his senatorial district, but now he´ll be helping me serve 20 million New Yorkers.’
Benjamin, a graduate of Brown University and Harvard Business School, ran unsuccessfully for New York City comptroller this year. He has served as senior assistant majority leader in the state Senate and chair of the body’s budget and revenue committee.
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