Illegal Judicial Fund Run by the Brooklyn Democractic Machine Attacked None Machine Judges

Another Abrams and FENSTERMAN Judicial Fund Raiser for A Judge

If you believe Seddio & Margarita are not doing the backfill scam, ask yourself why is Seddio bankrolling Margarita for 2 more years???

Brooklyn's Political Machine Gets Another Cog | The Indypendent

Borough Dems chief involved in 'illegal' fund-raiser for judicial candidates (Daily News)

Justice may be blind, but fund-raisers are supposed to be transparent.   A Brooklyn spokesman for several judicial candidates told the Daily News that's not the case with an event the head of the borough Democrats is planning for this month.

Gary Tilzer, a rep for five of the 11 candidates vying for six Brooklyn civil court judgeships, sent a letter Monday to the state and city elections boards, as well as to the Judicial Campaign Ethics Center with the Office of Court Administration, saying borough Dems chief Frank Seddio is hosting an "illegal" fund-raiser on Aug. 23 at a law office in Downtown Brooklyn.

Seddio, an attorney, sent the red, white and blue invite to more than 185 people -- including sitting judges, judicial candidates, attorneys, developers, politicians, lobbyists and members of the Judicial Screening Committee. The invite vaguely touts fund-raising "to support our contested countywide candidates."

It doesn't specify the candidates who will benefit or the election that's involved.

"The laws are strict on fund-raising for judges in order not to pull these kind of shenanigans," said Tilzer. "I'd like them to put a stop to this illegal fund-raiser."  The Brooklyn Democratic Party, under Seddio's direction, has been active in the campaigns of judges Robin Sheares and Frederick Arriaga, as well as those of David Pepper, Consuelo Melendez and Patria Frias-Colon, Tilzer wrote.

"They even sent the invitation to the candidates they are backing ... This goes against election laws, and whatever judge or developer gave or gives money to this, it's illegal,"Tilzer said. Guests were instructed to write their $500 to $5,000 checks out to the Kings County Democratic County Committee, an account that's controlled by the Brooklyn Democratic Party, and mail them to Seddio's home address, according to the letter.

Tilzer's three-page letter to the committees said Seddio's fund-raising efforts violate the Rules Governing Judicial Conduct and are unethical on seven points, including not disclosing who the event benefits, inviting sitting judges to contribute and, since the beneficiaries aren't named, having judicial candidates raising money with potential nonjudicial candidates.

Tilzer represents judicial candidates Patrick Haynes, Isiris Isella Isaac, Thomas Kennedy, John O'Hara and Sandra Roper.  Seddio, who had a short stint as a surrogate's court judge and stepped down in 2007 amid an investigation into misused campaign funds, was not available for comment.

Carone Firm and Connections Help Fund the Attack Mailing on the Independent Judicial Candidates in 2017

De Blasio donor (Carone) is a chief architect behind city’s $173 million real estate deal with shady landlord

 

Money Seddio Raised That Lead to the Attack Mailer in 2017

ABRAMS, FENSTERMAN, FENSTERMAN, LLP 3 DAKOTA DRIVE, SUITE 300 LAKE SUCCESS, NY 11042

10,000.00

24-AUG-17

KINGS COUNTY DEMOCRATIC COUNTY COMMITTEE

FRIENDS OF ROBERT CARROLL 243 E 4TH STREET BROOKLYN, NY 11218

500.00

24-AUG-17

KINGS COUNTY DEMOCRATIC COUNTY COMMITTEE

SIMON, JO ANNE 356 FULTON STREET BROOKLYN, NY 11201

1,000.00

24-AUG-17

KINGS COUNTY DEMOCRATIC COUNTY COMMITTEE

Fisher and Fisher $2500
The Advance Group Paid $17,000 on  9/8/17





The Machine Elect Judges They Then Argue For 

Their Clients in Front of

Brooklyn Judicial Race Aims to Break Machine Some Say Demonstrates Patronage

Brooklyn Judicial Race Aims to Break Machine Some Say Demonstrates Patronage

Brooklyn Judicial Race Aims to Break Machine Some Say Demonstrates Patronage

Brooklyn Judicial Race Aims to Break Machine Some Say Demonstrates Patronag

Who becomes a Judge is so important to the Brooklyn's Democratic Party County Leader Seddio that he is willing to host an illegal fundraiser to help his judge candidates and to violate judicial ethics rules by smearing independent judicial candidates running against his judges

Ethics Letter Filed With the State Board of Elections and Judicial Ethics Commission 


Seddio's Flack Arzt Works for Developers as Well As Carone's RiseBoro

Seddio's Flack Arzt Lied When He Said the Money Raised at the August Fund Raiser Would Not Be Used to Any Individual Campaign

The invitation to the Seddio's Fund Raiser said it was a "Fundraiser to Support Our Contested County Wide candidates." The only contested the Brooklyn machine was having this year were the 5 Civil Court judges.  The Advance Group was Paid $17,000 on  9/8/17 for the Attack mailer 



From Seddio's Flack Arzt's Press Release:

"The event on August 23rd is to raise money for the Kings County Democratic County Committee Campaign Committee, and all of its proceeds will go to support the Committee’s activities.  The event is not being held in financial support of any particular candidate or campaign cycle, none of the money raised will be directed to any individual campaign, and a candidate’s presence at the event does not signify political or financial support for the Democratic Party or it's candidates.  In fact, it is not remotely illegal for a judicial candidate to attend a political event or fundraiser so long as they are not raising money for their own campaign. Judicial Candidates are permitted by the rules governing judicial conduct to purchase two tickets at a cost not to exceed two hundred fifty dollars.Simply attending a politically sponsored event to meet people with the hope that they will support your candidacy is perfectly legal, and explicitly authorized by the rules.  The assertions demonstrate desperate times for desperate candidates."


How the Seddio Judges Broke the Election Law

The law is clear you cant do it.  But invitation just says county wide.  No Judicial stuff on invite but who has county backed countywide?  No BP race & county claims neutral in DA's race.

Looks sneaky. Like they set up deniability by not listing Judges

"The laws are strict on fund-raising for judges in order not to pull these kind of shenanigans," said Tilzer. "I'd like them to put a stop to this illegal fund-raiser."  The Brooklyn Democratic Party, under Seddio's direction, has been active in the campaigns of judges Robin Sheares and Frederick Arriaga, as well as those of David Pepper, Consuelo Melendez and Patria Frias-Colon, Tilzer wrote. "They even sent the invitation to the candidates they are backing ... This goes against election laws, and whatever judge or developer gave or gives money to this, it's illegal,"Tilzer said. Guests were instructed to write their $500 to $5,000 checks out to the Kings County Democratic County Committee, an account that's controlled by the Brooklyn Democratic Party, and mail them to Seddio's home address, according to the letter.   Tilzer's three-page letter to the committees said Seddio's fund-raising efforts violate the Rules Governing Judicial Conduct and are unethical on seven points, including not disclosing who the event benefits, inviting sitting judges to contribute and, since the beneficiaries aren't named, having judicial candidates raising money with potential nonjudicial candidates.  Tilzer represents judicial candidates Patrick Haynes, Isiris Isella Isaac, Thomas Kennedy, John O'Hara and Sandra Roper.  Seddio, who had a short stint as a surrogate's court judge and stepped down in 2007 amid an investigation into misused campaign funds, was not available for comment.

From the Election Law on Fundraising for Judicial Candidates:

If a candidate wishes to accept contributions must do so through his campaign committee 22 NYCRR 100.5a4c    A judge who is a candidate for re-election should not participate in a campaign bank account maintained by a political organization, in which contributions received by the organization on behalf of the judge are mingled with contributions received on behalf of other judicial and non-judicial candidates.  No joint fund raising 22 NYCRR100.5A1

Contributions received on behalf of other judicial or non judicial candidates Opinion 97 80

A judicial candidate may not participate in a political organization’s campaign bank account that would comingle the funds contributed to one candidate with contributions of other judicial candidates

Rule 22 NYCRR 100.5a5

The County Committee Fund Raiser That Arzt Said Would Not Be Used for Any Candidate was Used to Attack the Judges Running Against Seddio Slate 

Arzt's press release was reacting to complaint filed by the Independent Democratic slate running against Boss Seddio's judges.  Well not only was the money from the illegal fund raiser used to help Seddio's judicial candidates, it was used to pay for a mailing attacking the honesty of 4 of the judicial candidates running on the independent slate, Sandra Roper, Thomas Kennedy, Patrick Hayes and John O'Hara.  Team Seddio's attack centered on a Canard that the Independent Democratic slate was corrupt because they refused to go in front of a screening panel controlled by Brooklyn Democratic Machine.  It is against judicial campaign rules for judges to attack one another so Boss Seddio created a slush fund inside the county committee to get money from developers and other party contributors to elect his judges by attacking their opponents.  Still Boss Seddio lost 2 of his 5 judges.  But he lost more than an election.  A lawsuit will be filed this fall against the Brooklyn machine will drive Seddio and his mini me's from control of the party.  The Advance Group was paid 20,000 for the attack flyer.

Machine's County Committee Speculated in a County Wide Mailer That the Independent Democrat Slate Not Going A Judicial Screening Panel They Control Have Something to Hide
Opponent’s Conduct. The Committee has advised that a judicial candidate may comment on an opponent’s conduct, subject to certain limitations (Opinion 12-129[A]-[G], at Question 4). A candidate: should take steps to ensure the accuracy of the information he/she includes about any opponent, and make every effort to avoid misleading the public with mere speculation or innuendo Moreover, any reference to an opponent must be made in a manner which maintains the dignity appropriate to judicial office.




The Brooklyn Machine Bosses Used Illegal Fund Raising Against Insurgents Judicial Candidates Last Year


When election season rolls around, voters do not usually pay much attention to judicial races. But a contested primary in Brooklyn this year is shaking up the system — a system some critics say illustrates political patronage at its worst. NY1's Bobby Cuza has the story.  New York voters generally have little information to go on when it comes to choosing judges, and often they have no choice at all.  That's because candidates are essentially picked by local Democratic Party leaders like Brooklyn party boss Frank Seddio. The party's muscle ensures that those without its backing usually don't bother running at all.  Brooklyn Judicial Race Aims to Break Machine Some Say Demonstrates Patronage (NY1) * VOTING FOR BROOKLYN CIVIL COURT JUDGE COUNTYWIDE