We look forward to hearing what Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and her Democratic Socialist pals think of the new Queens Democratic Party chairman — who has several stints on a left-leaning watchdog group’s annual list of the most corrupt members of Congress.
Party leaders last week unanimously elected Rep. Greg Meeks to replace Joe Crowley, who lost his House seat to AOC and later quit as county chairman after deciding to become a lobbyist.
Crowley hailed his successor as “a coalition builder” who will help elect “competent, ethical” officials to public office.
Ha! That may the first time anyone has ever used “Greg Meeks” and “ethical” in the same sentence — except to note his lack of ethics.
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington has cited Meeks several times on its Capitol-Hill-corruption list, even calling him one of three who “really stand out.” Indeed, he has a long, long record of dubious financial transactions, much of it first reported by The Post, that have led to at least one criminal investigation.
There was the nonprofit Meeks founded, housed in his onetime campaign treasurer’s office, that collected $31,000 for Hurricane Katrina relief but paid out just $1,392 to victims. (Meeks insisted he wasn’t involved in day-to-day operations.)
There was the apparent sweetheart deal he got on a St. Alban’s home, paying $830,000 for a property (designed by one campaign contributor and built on land owned by another) valued at over $1.2 million.
To pay for related costs, Meeks got a $40,000 loan from broker Edul Ahman, who later pled guilty to mortgage fraud. It was one of several loans he’s received but failed to report (as is legally required) on his financial-disclosure forms.
Not until the FBI questioned him about it three years later did Meeks move to repay the loan. The House Ethics Committee cleared him of charges of impropriety, apparently accepting his excuse that he had “lost” the paperwork.
He’s also taken at least six junkets to the Caribbean paid for by a nonprofit backed by convicted Ponzi schemer — and major Meeks donor — Allen Stanford, on whose behalf Meeks allegedly intervened with late Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez.
Then again, junkets have made Meeks one of Congress’ most well-traveled members. The one he took to Azerbaijan, complete with lavish gifts, was secretly funded by that nation’s oil company.
Last December, Meeks was one of five House members who took what was billed as an “official” all-expenses-paid trip to South Africa so they could be feted as VIPs at a Beyoncé and Jay Z concert.
There’s plenty more, but you get the picture: Whatever “change” AOC represents, the Queens Democratic Party only looks to be heading deeper into the swamp.
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