Chorus of criticism from right, left led to resignation of Lt. Gov. Benjamin

April 13, 2022 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

New York Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin leaves the courthouse in New York, Tuesday, April 12, 2022. Benjamin has been arrested in a federal corruption investigation. Authorities said the Democrat was arrested Tuesday on charges including bribery and falsification of records. AP Photo/Seth Wenig

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While the Brooklyn subway shooting on Tuesday overshadowed the arrest of New York State Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin in a scheme involving contributions from a real estate developer —a development that led to his resignation later in the day — some, both Republicans and Democrats, wasted no time in condemning him.

Benjamin, a Democrat, was accused in an indictment of participating in a scheme to obtain campaign contributions from a real estate developer in exchange for Benjamin’s agreement to use his influence as a state senator to get a $50,000 grant of state funds for a nonprofit organization that the developer controlled, the Associated Press reported.

The developer, who was not named in the indictment, was assumed by many to be Harlem-based real estate investor Gerald Migdol. Two months after Benjamin became lieutenant governor, according to the Associated Press, federal authorities accused Migdol of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.

Gerard Kassar, the Bay Ridge-based chair of the New York State Conservative Party, basically said the arrest was par for the course for Democratic officials. He commented:

“Here we go again. Another day, another senior New York Democrat arrested for alleged corruption, this time Lt. Governor Brian Benjamin. It’s enough to make New York taxpayers scream.

Gerard Kassar, chair of the New York State Conservative Party. Photo courtesy of Gerard Kassar

“Mr. Benjamin’s arrest says everything one needs to know about Albany under the Hochul Administration. Governor Hochul knew Mr. Benjamin was viewed as shady — everyone in Albany knew that — and still she made him her right-hand-man in government. It’s as though hints of corruption meant nothing to her.”

It wasn’t only Republicans and Conservatives who criticized Benjamin. Ross Barkan, a journalist from Bay Ridge who unsuccessfully ran for the Democratic nomination for State Senate in 2016, tweeted before Benjamin’s resignation, “As far as I understand, there is no way to remove Brian Benjamin from the Democratic ballot unless he leaves the state or dies. The deadline to replace has passed. Awful timing for Kathy Hochul, but none of this was surprising.”

Democratic Assemblymember Judy Griffin, who represents a Long Island district, tweeted, “It is paramount that the residents of New York state need to trust in the protection, transparency and honesty of our government. The federal charges against our state’s Lieutenant Governor, Brian A. Benjamin, are galling and his alleged actions as a state senator, city comptroller candidate, and in his current role are all unacceptable.”

U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin: Benjamin advocated “Defunding the Police.” AP Photo/John Minchillo

Ana Maria Archilla, who is running (as Public Advocate Jumaane Williams’ running mate) for lieutenant governor in the Democratic primary this year, tweeted, “Our elected officials should be held to the highest ethical standard to preserve the public trust, and Brian Benjamin has violated that contract. Albany has been plagued by corruption for too long … This must stop now.”

However, spokespeople for Hochul, Senate Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie didn’t immediately provide on Tuesday when asked if Benjamin should resign.

Last week, as the scandal emerged, Hochul said she had the utmost confidence in Benjamin. “This is an independent investigation related to other people, and he’s fully cooperating. He is my running mate,” Hochul said last Thursday at a press conference, according to published reports.

Ross Barkan: “Awful timing for Kathy Hochul.” Photo courtesy of Ross Barkan

Republican State Senate Leader Rob Ortt and Assembly Leader Will Barclay both called on Benjamin to resign, published reports said. U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin, the Republican candidate for governor opposing Hochul, said that Benjamin’s “running point on the ‘defund the police’ movement alone should have been enough to disqualify him [for the position of lieutenant governor].”