April 1, 2019
15
City & State New York
Ethics in Washington, a left-leaning think tank that, until 2014, published an annual list of “the most corrupt members of Congress,” Republicans and Democrats alike. Meeks made the list again in 2012 and in 2013. The reports detail many alleged ethical missteps, but maybe none as interesting as Meeks’ favor for R. Allen Stanford, the financier who was sentenced in 2012 to 110 years in prison for running a massive Ponzi scheme. Meeks was not reportedly involved with the scheme in any way, but he admits to traveling to Venezuela in 2006 to talk to then-President Hugo Chavez as a favor for Stanford. “‘Hey, can you help out my company?’” Meeks said Stanford asked him at the time. “Of course I’m going to help an American company. … That’s my job!” None of the allegations have been proven, Meeks said, blaming some of them on the National Legal and Policy Center, a right-leaning ethics watchdog that has kept a close eye on Meeks for more than a decade. Meeks said he isn’t embarrassed by the lengthy list of corruption allegations. “No,” he said. “Because it’s not accurate.”
D After Rep. Joe Crowley’s shocking defeat, Meeks knows he’ll need to institute reforms – and admits he may be painting a target on his back.
for personal expenses. He has reportedly been the subject of at least four federal investigations. One into the alleged misuse of funds by a local development nonprofit co-founded by Meeks. One into a campaign donor who built and sold Meeks a St. Albans mansion at an apparent $200,000 discount. One into a congressional junket to Azerbaijan paid for by that country’s government. And one into a $40,000 loan allegedly masquerading as an illegal gift from Queens businessman Edul Ahmad, who was later sentenced to prison in an unrelated mortgage fraud scheme. None of the cases resulted in charges or sanctions against Meeks, but they left a lingering stench. Google “Greg Meeks,” and the third result reads: “Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY) Named One of the Most Corrupt Members of Congress.” It links to a 2011 report by Citizens for Responsibility and
ESPITE THE YEARS of allegations, Meeks has never faced a serious challenge for his seat. In a telling moment of Southeast Queens politics, state Sen. James Sanders Jr. briefly launched a primary challenge to Meeks ahead of the 2016 election on an anti-corruption platform. But Sanders dropped his campaign after Meeks’ campaign accused him of corruption, leaking a story that Sanders had solicited a bribe from a nonprofit. The claims against Sanders were never substantiated, and he ended up getting re-elected to his Senate seat, despite the Queens Democratic Party backing his opponent. Meeks faced only token opposition in the 2018 Democratic primary but could face a more energetic challenge in 2020. A Democratic Socialists of America-aligned candidate is rumored to be weighing a run against Meeks. Anybody challenging Meeks would face an uphill battle. He’s not just the county chairman. Even critics admit that Meeks has his finger on the pulse of the district, where the typical Democratic voter is more moderate than those in Western Queens. As New York City Councilman Donovan Richards, who also represents Southeast Queens, put it, “the Ocasio-Cortez effect means nothing in our district.” Meeks knows he’s tempting fate by taking over the county party, raising his profile boroughwide while shouldering the institution’s baggage. But he said he’s eager to take on the tough job of uniting the borough politically. In doing so, is he putting a target on his back? “If that means I have to debate folks on my posi-
tions, et cetera, I’m willing to do it!” But Meeks doesn’t just have to protect his own seat now. He also has to protect the power and reputation of the Queens County Democratic Party. And after the disaster of Crowley’s 2018 defeat, both allies and critics are expecting some party reforms from Meeks. “Oh, I’ve got to change some things,” Meeks said. “Joe is great. My friend. But I’m not Joe!” That means bringing more young people into the party and reinvigorating the borough’s system of district-level political clubs, Meeks said. He’s setting up meetings with groups that aren’t represented in the county party, and sitting down with reformers. He’s open to calling more meetings for the county party, and even advertising that online. Would he loosen up Sweeney, Reich and Bolz’s hold over the party, opening up Surrogate’s Court opportunities to other law firms? “I am going to look at that very closely. I haven’t had the chance to look at everything, but I am going to look at all of that,” he said. “I’m going to look at what the people are saying and asking for.” Meeks is the patriarch of a political family. His mother was a tenant association president, and his sister, Janella Meeks, works at the New York State Nurses Association. Meeks’ wife, Simone-Marie, is an assistant commissioner for New York State Homes and Community Renewal. One of their daughters, Ebony, works for Johnson, the council speaker. Another, Aja, is in New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer’s office. Meeks’ youngest daughter, Nia-Aiyana, is still in college. The congressman has long been the patriarch of another political family made up of his fellow elected officials in Southeast Queens. “Some people I endorsed when they first ran. Some people I didn’t. But once the election was over, we had to work together!” Meeks said. That doesn’t just mean cutting ribbons and passing bills. It means supporting incumbents. “If anybody was to run against them, then you’re running against the team! And I’m going to protect the team,” he said. “It’s my job to protect the team!” Today, that political family has expanded, featuring a borough president, six House members, seven state senators, 18 Assembly members, 14 City Council members and all those district leaders who elected him. Some are conservative. Some are more moderate, and others are progressives. One congresswoman is even a democratic socialist. Some of them will soon get challenged by candidates representing new perspective, new voices. Meeks is stepping right into the middle of it. “It’s inspiring to see the kind of debate that we have here,” Meeks said. “Some good for me, some bad for me! Let’s have it.”
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