Rep. Meeks takes care of his friends - NYPOST.com

Meeks aide's wife got campaign $$

By MAGGIE HABERMAN

Last Updated: 9:36 AM, February 11, 2010

Posted: 2:52 AM, February 11, 2010

Queens Rep. Gregory Meeks paid $27,000 in campaign funds last year to a company set up by his treasurer -- whose husband is on the congressman's government payroll, federal filings reviewed by The Post show.

Meeks' two affiliated campaign committees -- Friends for Gregory Meeks and Meeks for Congress -- made three payments totaling $27,000 to EINNA Inc. for "administrative consulting services," according to the Democratic congressman's latest federal campaign filings.

Business records with the state secretary of state show EINNA is registered to Patsy Simmons -- who is Meeks' campaign treasurer.

EINNA was paid $18,000 by Friends for Gregory Meeks in December.

The same month, the firm was paid $3,000 by Meeks for Congress, which also paid $6,000 to EINNA in July.

Treasurer positions are typically a volunteer role on a campaign, in which a devoted supporter helps with administrative work.

Meeks' office refused to respond to repeated questions over two days about the payouts.

Among the questions was whether Simmons was being paid for compliance work. The Meeks campaign had to pay a $63,000 fine two years ago to federal election officials for misuse of campaign funds.

Simmons' husband, Robert Simmons, is a longtime Queens district leader who is also on Meeks' government payroll, according to sources and documents compiled by Legistorm.com.

He was a part-time employee for part of 2006 until he became full-time as New York chief of staff, according to Legistorm. He has typically earned just under $80,000 -- a salary amount that doesn't require filing disclosure reports.

The money is not illegal. Many observers believe it is also a way for Meeks to reward longtime supporters, using campaign donations and legislative salaries.

"It's not good optics," said one longtime Democratic legislative aide.

maggie.haberman@nypost.com

Rep. Meeks takes care of his friends - NYPOST.com.