By Joe Anuta
Two candidates for the congressional seat based in Queens traded more barbs this week after violations from one candidate’s past elections surfaced and could land him in legal trouble, according to the state Board of Elections.
After winning an election in 2009, City Councilman Dan Halloran (R-Whitestone) failed to file five campaign finance disclosure statements with the board dating back to January 2010, according to election officials, and the case was passed on to the Albany district attorney.
Halloran is running against state Assemblywoman Grace Meng (D-Flushing) and Green Party candidate Evergreen Chou for the congressional seat covering central Queens, including the neighborhoods of Ridgewood, Glendale, Middle Village, Forest Hills and Rego Park, as well as eastern neighborhoods like Flushing, Fresh Meadows and parts of Bayside.
Halloran ended his 2009 run for the Council with an estimated deficit of $110,500. Even though he ran in a city race, he was still required to file biannual reports of his campaign war chest with the state, according to city Campaign Finance Board documents and the state BOE.
The councilman has brought his filings up to date Tuesday, with records indicating he still owes about $116,000. But the campaign still owes more than $3,000 in fines and the state had already referred one failed filing from 2010 to the Albany district attorney.
Halloran’s campaign issued a statement, indicating that the back filings have been completed and stressed that all filings for the congressional election have been completed on time.
The GOP candidate had previously blasted Meng after she failed to file her personal financial disclosure for months after the deadline from the Federal Election Commission and questioned how she was able to infuse $122,000 into her primary campaign.
“Voters will see the truth and look past any sensational distractions, just as they did in the recent presidential debate,” Halloran’s campaign said in a statement.
The assemblywoman’s campaign also issued a statement about Halloran’s late filings.
“Dan Halloran’s failure to file on five separate occasions suggests he is either wholly incompetent, supremely arrogant or desperately attempting to hide fund-raising improprieties,” spokesman Austin Finan said in a statement.
The councilman also chided Meng for failing to appear at several candidate forums, though the assemblywoman countered that she missed only two over the last five months that she was invited to on short notice and looked forward to a slew of future appearances.
On Tuesday evening, Halloran held a fund-raiser at Terrace on the Park featuring former Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Meanwhile, Meng recently scored the endorsement of Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Reach reporter Joe Anuta by e-mail at januta@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4566.
