A New York GOP strategist has asked a federal judge to delay his corruption trial, arguing that the legal proceedings could reveal Republican strategies ahead of the 2014 state legislative and gubernatorial elections, according to the New York Post.
Vincent Tabone, former vice chair of the Queens Republican Party who is accused of allegedly accepting a $25,000 bribe to allow a Democratic state senator to run for mayor as a Republican, has requested that his June 2 trial be rescheduled for December or later.
“The necessary witnesses to such a trial may include the Republican Party chairmen of the state and county Republican committees in New York,” Tabone’s lawyer said in a letter to the judge. “Subjecting the Republican Party, its officials and internal political strategies to intense scrutiny, while sparing the Democratic Party, would unfairly undermine Republican Party candidates in the general election.”
“Questioning of party official witnesses will directly impact federal and state elections being held in New York by selectively exposing Republican Party strategy, the negotiation of cross-party endorsements for Republican candidates. In short, it could devolve into a political circus aimed at the Republican Party and its federal and state candidates.”
