By Stephen Stirling
The spokesman said Simon Ting, of 140-14 28th Rd. in Flushing, was granted a conditional discharge by Queens Supreme Court Judge Robert Raciti after pleading guilty to fabricating 36 voter registration forms with incorrect addresses in Meng's 2004 election race.Ting was immediately sentenced to 100 hours of community service and issued a fine of $500 for the misdemeanor. Last month Ting was charged with offering a false instrument and procuring fraudulent documents to be used for voter registrations, charges that carried a potential prison term of up to four years. The DA said the addresses listed on the 36 fraudulent voter registration forms were either 137-27 Geranium Ave., Ting's home address at the time, or 135-29 Roosevelt Ave., the site of a downtown Flushing bookstore owned by Meng.The DA's spokesman said last month that Queens DA Richard Brown did not suspect that Meng, the first Asian American elected to New York state government, was involved in the scheme and said the forms in question “had no bearing on the actual election itself.””We believe that the defendant acted alone,” he said.Following Ting's indictment, Meng said in a statement that he was “saddened” by the news, but added it was important to note it had no impact on his 2004 election victory. After he upset former Assemblyman Barry Grodenchik in the 2004 Democratic primary, Meng went on to win the seat in the general election. Citing health concerns, Meng decided not to run for re-election in 2006. Grace Meng campaigned for her father's seat last year but withdrew after it was found that her primary residence was in Bayside, located outside the 22nd Assembly District, which covers Flushing.Assemblywoman Ellen Young (D-Flushing) won Meng's seat in a close race in November and became the first Asian-American woman elected to statewide office in New York.Reach reporter Stephen Stirling by e-mail at news@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 138.
