U.S. Rep. Michael Grimm will resign from the House this week after having pleaded guilty to felony tax evasion, the New York Daily News reported Monday night.
The New York Republican, who represents a Staten Island district, won re-election to the House last month despite pending charges. But he said during the campaign that he would resign if he became “unable to serve.” He pleaded guilty under a plea deal last week to one felony count of aiding in the filing of a false tax return in 2009.
According to the Daily News, Grimm wanted to continue in the House but realized Monday after a meeting with House Speaker John A. Boehner, Ohio Republican, that his situation had become untenable.
Grimm will announce his resignation Tuesday or Wednesday, the Daily News reported, citing unidentified sources.
Mr. Boehner’s spokesman declined to comment.
Assuming the planned resignation happens, Gov. Andrew Cuomo would call a special election to fill the seat, one of the few Republican-leaning districts in New York.
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Grimm was accused of avoiding taxation on more than $1 million in receipts and wages at Healthalicious, a Manhattan restaurant he owned at the time. The plea deal to which Grimm agreed also stipulated that he lied under oath to investigators in 2013 while a member of Congress.
He will be sentenced June 8. Although prison time is recommended under federal guidelines, his attorneys are likely to seek a probation-only sentence.
• Victor Morton can be reached at vmorton@washingtontimes.com.
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