What to Know
- Former Rep. Michael Grimm said his fellow Republican offered to help get him a presidential pardon for his conviction for tax fraud.
- Dan Donovan denied making the offer.
- The issue came up as the two men engaged in their first campaign debate before the June 26 primary.
Former U.S. Rep. Michael Grimm, trying to win back his seat from incumbent U.S. Rep. Dan Donovan, said Monday that his fellow Republican offered to help try to get him a presidential pardon for his felony conviction for tax fraud. Donovan denied making the offer.
The issue came up as the two men engaged in their first campaign debate before the June 26 primary, frequently arguing and interrupting each other. The 11th Congressional District covers conservative Staten Island as well as a slice of Brooklyn.
Donovan assailed Grimm over his 2014 conviction that cost him his seat in Congress and put him in prison for seven months. He pointed out that Grimm had won re-election just before pleading guilty.
"He betrayed our trust," Donovan said.
Grimm pushed back, insisting that Donovan had dangled the possibility of a presidential pardon during a conversation the two men had at Donovan's home. Grimm has previously said Donovan put a condition on his help - that Grimm first drop his primary challenge.
"I'll let everyone else decide, Danny," Grimm said. "You look like a fool right now."
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Donovan said he merely mentioned to President Donald Trump that another former Republican representative from Staten Island wanted to talk to the White House about Grimm, but that Trump wasn't interested because that Republican hadn't supported him.
Both candidates spoke of their support for Trump, and getting his agenda accomplished.
"They have the right president now," Grimm said of voters in his district. "After this election, they're going to have the right congressman."
Donovan repeatedly pointed out that Trump endorsed him in a tweet last month.
Trump said Donovan was "helping me to Make America Great Again." In a following tweet, he said Donovan "will win for the Republicans in November...and his opponent will not. Remember Alabama."
The Alabama reference was to Republican Roy Moore. He was the Senate candidate who lost the general election to a Democrat, after being nominated despite accusations of molesting teen girls.
Grimm and Donovan both spoke out against New York City's "sanctuary" policy to limit cooperation with federal immigration officials over people who are in the country without legal authorization, and each took Mayor Bill de Blasio to task over the handling of the city's troubled public housing system.
They also both criticized a New York Jets owner for saying he would cover any fines levied against his football players by the NFL for not standing during the national anthem at games.
