Borough Dems chief Frank Seddio.
(Reuven Blau/New York Daily News)
Justice may be blind, but fund-raisers are supposed to be transparent.
A Brooklyn spokesman for several judicial candidates told the Daily News that’s not the case with an event the head of the borough Democrats is planning for this month.
Justice may be blind, but fund-raisers are supposed to be transparent.
A Brooklyn spokesman for several judicial candidates told the Daily News that’s not the case with an event the head of the borough Democrats is planning for this month.
Gary Tilzer, a rep for five of the 11 candidates vying for six Brooklyn civil court judgeships, sent a letter Monday to the state and city elections boards, as well as to the Judicial Campaign Ethics Center with the Office of Court Administration, saying borough Dems chief Frank Seddio is hosting an “illegal” fund-raiser on Aug. 23 at a law office in Downtown Brooklyn.
Seddio, an attorney, sent the red, white and blue invite to more than 185 people -- including sitting judges, judicial candidates, attorneys, developers, politicians, lobbyists and members of the Judicial Screening Committee. The invite vaguely touts fund-raising “to support our contested countywide candidates.”
It doesn't specify the candidates who will benefit or the election that's involved.
“The laws are strict on fund-raising for judges in order not to pull these kind of shenanigans,” said Tilzer. "I’d like them to put a stop to this illegal fund-raiser.”
The Brooklyn Democratic Party, under Seddio’s direction, has been active in the campaigns of judges Robin Sheares and Frederick Arriaga, as well as those of David Pepper, Consuelo Melendez and Patria Frias-Colon, Tilzer wrote.
“They even sent the invitation to the candidates they are backing ... This goes against election laws, and whatever judge or developer gave or gives money to this, it's illegal,”Tilzer said.
Guests were instructed to write their $500 to $5,000 checks out to the Kings County Democratic County Committee, an account that’s controlled by the Brooklyn Democratic Party, and mail them to Seddio’s home address, according to the letter.
Tilzer’s three-page letter to the committees said Seddio’s fund-raising efforts violate the Rules Governing Judicial Conduct and are unethical on seven points, including not disclosing who the event benefits, inviting sitting judges to contribute and, since the beneficiaries aren't named, having judicial candidates raising money with potential nonjudicial candidates.
Tilzer represents judicial candidates Patrick Haynes, Isiris Isella Isaac, Thomas Kennedy, John O’Hara and Sandra Roper.
Seddio, who had a short stint as a surrogate’s court judge and stepped down in 2007 amid an investigation into misused campaign funds, was not available for comment.
