Update: Rep. Michael Grimm, R-New York, is expected to sign a “statement of facts” admitting that he evaded taxes as alleged by the federal government in a 20-count indictment, although Grimm will only plead guilty to one count of tax evasion, law enforcement sources said.
The sources added that prosecutors will push for Grimm to serve at least some federal prison time after his guilty plea. Grimm is set to be sworn in as a re-elected member of Congress in January, although his colleagues could choose to expel him from the body.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said in a statement Wednesday that Grimm should resign.
“Now that the election is over, Congressman Grimm is finally admitting the truth to his constituents,” she said.
“Clearly, Speaker Boehner must insist that Congressman Grimm resign immediately.”
Original post:
New York Republican Congressman Michael Grimm will plead guilty to one count of tax evasion on Tuesday in a New York court, according to a U.S. law enforcement official. The charge can bring some prison time, but it’s not clear whether Grimm will be sentenced with any.
After being indicted in April on 20 counts of filing false tax returns, mail fraud, wire fraud, hiring undocumented workers and perjury, Grimm insisted he did nothing wrong and pled not guilty. His trial was scheduled to begin in February.
But a U.S. law enforcement official tells CNN that Grimm will appear before a Brooklyn judge at 1 p.m. on Tuesday and admit he deliberately misled the Internal Revenue Service, a move that throws his congressional future into jeopardy.
Federal prosecutors say Grimm failed to report $1 million from his restaurant business in Manhattan prior to his 2010 election to Congress.
Democrats hoped the federal indictment against the House Republican last spring would mean Grimm’s constituents would toss him out. But despite efforts by his Democratic opponent, Domenic Recchia, to paint him as corrupt, Grimm was easily re-elected in November for third term.
Grimm attracted national attention last year even before his high-profile legal troubles when he threatened to throw a reporter over a Capitol Hill balcony at the end of an interview. Grimm was captured on a hot mic after the President’s State of the Union speech berating the reporter for pressing him on allegations of wrongdoing. He later apologized for his behavior.
Grimm gave up his seat on the House Financial Services Committee after he was charged, but repeatedly insisted he would be “fully exonerated.”
The House Ethics Committee began an investigation into Grimm’s activities last spring, but recently announced it was deferring action on the matter at the request of the Justice Department.
With Grimm’s new plea, the committee could decide early next year to renew its investigation and consider some type of punishment. There will also likely be pressure on Grimm to step down from Congress.
Grimm’s congressional office and his attorney did not immediately respond to CNN requests for comment.