Staten Island Congressman Michael Grimm's Trial Set For December
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- A judge has scheduled Staten Island Congressman Michael Grimm's tax evasion trial for December.
U.S. District Judge Pamela Chen told lawyers at a hearing on Tuesday that jury selection will begin Dec. 1. She rejected defense arguments that the trial should be put off until next year. He is running for re-election this year.
Grimm left court without speaking to reporters.
The Republican congressman was indicted earlier this year on mail, wire and tax fraud.
The alleged fraud occurred from 2007 to 2010, when authorities said Grimm was one of the owners and the managing member of an Upper East fast-food restaurant called Healthalicious and oversaw the day-to-day operations of the restaurant.
Prosecutors said during that time, Grimm filed false state and federal tax returns to under report more than $1 million in sales and wages by concealing gross receipts for cash purchases and paid workers hundreds of thousands of dollars off the books.
Democrat Domenic Recchia, Grimm's opponent, has jumped on the tax fraud issue, running ads that feature the news conference where U.S. Attorney Loretta Lynch announced Grimm's indictment, WCBS 880's Irene Cornell reported.
Grimm has pleaded not guilty. He says he's the target of a political witch hunt aimed at driving him out of office.
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