Two Queens Politicians Arrested This Morning for Trying to Rig NYC Mayoral Election

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Malcolm Smith And Dan Halloran Arrested For Trying To Rig NYC Mayoral Election, According To Report

By Aidan Gardiner, DNAinfo Reporter/Producer

QUEENS — Prominent Queens politicians Malcolm Smith and Dan Halloran were arrested early Tuesday for attempting to rig this year's mayoral election, according to a published report.

Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation took State Senator Smith and City Councilman Halloran into custody at their homes about 6 a.m., the New York Post reported.

Halloran told a reporter outside his home that he "had no idea" why he was being arrested, the Post reported.

“I’m sure the truth will come out once I have an opportunity to find out what’s going on,” Halloran added.

The pair allegedly formed an alliance to place Smith, a Democrat who represents Queens Village, St. Albans and Jamaica, onto the Republican mayoral ballot by enlisting the support of major GOP leaders through bribes, according to the Post.

Smith needed the support of three boroughs to get the Republican nod without having to change party affiliation, the newspaper reported.

Halloran, a Republican representing northeastern Queens, was tasked with setting up those meetings and handling bribes totaling thousands of dollars, the Post reported.

The bribes were masked as legal and accounting services, the paper added.

Halloran has also been accused of pocketing bribes from a consultant in exchange for $80,000 in City Council funding, the newspaper said.

Re: Two Queens Politicians Arrested This Morning for Trying to Rig NYC Mayoral Election

I heard a blip of this as I was getting ready this morning...it will be interesting to see how this all pans out, who else was involved, etc.

I'm sure that as the day goes on, we'll gain more info.