Staten Island Paper Is Disgusted With Its Own Michael Grimm Endorsement

U.S. Rep. Michael Grimm leaves the courthouse in New York, Monday, May 19, 2014. Grimm, a former Marine and FBI agent, was charged last month with concealing more than $1 million in sales and wages at a Manhattan res... U.S. Rep. Michael Grimm leaves the courthouse in New York, Monday, May 19, 2014. Grimm, a former Marine and FBI agent, was charged last month with concealing more than $1 million in sales and wages at a Manhattan restaurant he ran before he was elected to Congress. The charges stemmed from an ongoing investigation of his campaign fundraising. Grimm has denied any wrongdoing. He was in court Monday for a conference on his case. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

A Staten Island newspaper may have endorsed Rep. Michael Grimm (R-NY) for Congress, but it wants to be clear: the best man for the job is not that great.

In an editorial published Thursday, the Staten Island Advance buried its endorsement of Grimm under a pile of disclaimers, caveats, and open regrets about the choice.

In one corner, the paper wrote, was Grimm — a “hot-headed” Republican looking at a 20-count indictment. In the other was Democrat Domenic M. Recchia, Jr. who the Advance painted as uninformed and opportunistic.

“That’s the choice voters have. And that’s the choice we have in making an endorsement in a race that could not be much uglier,” the editorial said.

The paper admitted the selection of Grimm felt “distasteful,” and wrote that the congressman’s indictments have made Staten Island “the laughingstock of the nation.”

In April, federal prosecutors charged Grimm with wire and mail fraud, tax fraud, perjury, and other counts.

Earlier in the year, when asked about the federal investigation by a reporter, the congressman threatened to throw his interviewer off a Capitol balcony.

He later addressed the incident during a debate, explaining: “Sometimes I get my Italian up.”

Latest Livewire

Notable Replies

  1. Then why didn’t they just choose to not endorse either candidate? They could’ve just written the editorial they did, and left out an endorsement.

  2. Avatar for mantan mantan says:

    Someone (sob!)…Stop them before they endorse again! (sniffle!)

  3. “In one corner, the paper wrote, was Grimm – a “hot-headed” Republican looking at a 20-count indictment. In the other was Democrat Domenic M. Recchia, Jr. who the Advance painted as uninformed and opportunistic.”

    Soooo, this is their analysis:

    Candidate A - Criminal.

    Candidate B - Fairly typical Politician.

    Ergo, candidate A is the better choice.

    Have they published which candidate/party has spent more advertising dollars in their paper?

  4. Because they’re going to endorse a GOP’er no matter what. The choice in this one is not near as bad as that excuse making paper paints it to be. They ragged on the Democrat for being “uninformed and opportunistic” but endorsed a guy that is likely going to jail. What poll isn’t opportunistic? And none of them are informed.

    It’s a GOP’er thing. That’s Staten Island and that rag is going to go for the GOP’er.

  5. Lived there most of my life. The Staten Island Advance is suitable only for wrapping fish.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

25 more replies

Participants

Avatar for system1 Avatar for the_scarlet_pimpernel Avatar for paulw Avatar for runfastandwin Avatar for alliebean Avatar for ajm Avatar for richardinjax Avatar for mschumm Avatar for pac Avatar for commiedearest Avatar for dizcuzted Avatar for enon Avatar for sconosciuto Avatar for RhondaPainter Avatar for evan Avatar for mantan Avatar for sniffit Avatar for theghostofeustacetilley Avatar for alfo Avatar for captaincommonsense Avatar for mrf Avatar for sweetdee Avatar for sonofroyrogers Avatar for sashasmom

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: