An ethics watchdog alleged yesterday that Rep. Gregory Meeks broke federal law by secretly accepting $40,000 from a Queens businessman, then failing to report it on his financial-disclosure reports.
“Rep. Meeks got caught with his hand in the cookie jar, and came up with an after-the-fact explanation to justify his conduct,” said Melanie Sloan, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.
In the complaint to the Office of Congressional Ethics, Sloan questioned whether the $40,000 Meeks (D-Queens) received from Edul Ahmad in 2007 was even a loan at all, because he didn’t repay it until questioned by the FBI this year. CREW further alleged that by not reporting the loan on his financial-disclosure forms Meeks may be guilty of making false statements.
“I have made all necessary amendments to ensure compliance with House disclosure rules. It is unfortunate that Citizens for Responsibility in Ethics in Washington is now using distorted and sensationalized media reports as the basis for a complaint,” Meeks said in a statement..