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Names of nine recorded by Huntley released

Names of nine recorded by Huntley released
By Rich Bockmann

Disgraced former state Sen. Shirley Huntley secretly recorded fellow Queens politicians Sens. Jose Peralta (D-East Elmhurst) and Malcolm Smith (D-Hollis) and her protégé City Councilman Ruben Wills (D-Jamaica) as well as six others last summer in cooperation with federal authorities, according to a letter written by her attorney that was unsealed in court Wednesday afternoon.

Federal prosecutors said eight of the nine recorded are under investigation. It was not known which one is not the target of a probe.

Huntley, who is awaiting sentencing Thursday in Brooklyn federal court on fraud charges, agreed to cooperate with federal prosecutors and the FBI as part of a plea deal. Her attorney submitted a letter identifying the people she recorded to Federal Judge Jack Weinstein in an effort to show that Huntley had worked with the federal government in a bid to have her sentence reduced. Weinstein was scheduled to deliver the sentence Thursday.

Huntley recorded Peralta, a Democratic borough president candidate, and Smith, who was charged last month along with City Councilman Dan Halloran (R-Whitestone) and Queens Republican Party Vice Chairman Vince Tabone in an alleged bribery plot to secure Smith a spot on the GOP mayoral ticket.

Huntley also recorded Curtis Taylor, a former press adviser to Smith.

She also recorded Brooklyn state Sens. Velmanette Montgomery, Eric Adams and John Sampson, who was charged Monday with stealing funds from the sale of foreclosed homes in order to fund a failed bid to be the borough’s district attorney.

Huntley also recorded state Sen. Hassell-Thompson (D-Mt. Vernon) and Melvin Lowe, a former political consultant and associate of New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.

Reach reporter Rich Bockmann by e-mail at rbockmann@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4574.