Jamiesfeast – One of President Biden’s New York delegates has been found guilty of falsifying Syracuse school district business records. Currently, this delegate owes the state a staggering $101,000 in back income taxes and penalties, as reported by The Post.
James “Jimmy” Monto III, a former employee of the Syracuse City School District, has been included on President Biden’s list of pledged delegates for his re-election campaign in the 22nd Congressional District. Monto had previously pleaded guilty to falsifying business records.
The local district attorney’s office alleged that the Democrat attempted to claim a tax credit that he had not legitimately earned, resulting in the school district losing thousands of dollars in payments to the IRS.
In a surprising turn of events, the Syracuse Democrats made the unconventional decision to appoint Monto to a vacant position on the local council. Despite his criminal history, he managed to secure re-election in the predominantly Democratic city in 2022.
It came as a surprise to a Democratic Party insider when Monto, with his criminal record, was chosen by local Democrats to serve as a delegate for Biden’s re-election.
State Democratic Party Chairman Jay Jacobs, Governor Kathy Hochul, the de facto leader of the party, and the Biden campaign must all approve the delegates.
According to an anonymous source, Kathy Hochul and Jay Jacobs are not sending their top representatives to represent President Biden at the Democratic National Convention.
According to the party activist, Monto’s actions involved stealing from the Syracuse school district, which ultimately meant stealing from the children.
In 2022, the Syracuse media expressed concerns about Monto, highlighting his problematic history.
According to a 2022 editorial by Syracuse.com, Jimmy Monto, the newly elected 5th District Councilor of the Syracuse Common Council, brings along some significant challenges to his new role. Monto was involved in a misdemeanor case in 2012, where he was accused of falsifying payroll documents during his employment at the Syracuse City School District. Additionally, he failed to pay $12,161 in state taxes over a period of three years.
The editorial highlights concerns about Monto’s redemption story and the lack of curiosity shown by the members of the Common Council during his job interview. Despite Monto’s admission of a previous charge, the councilors did not inquire further or consider how it might impact his role on the council, particularly in relation to important decisions such as the school district budget and tax matters. The editorial suggests that while second chances are important, the lack of thorough investigation raises questions about the council’s judgment.
In 2022, Monto expressed his lack of knowledge regarding the alteration of the school district’s payroll records to syracuse.com. He clarified that he pleaded guilty solely due to feeling scared and inexperienced as he had never faced any legal issues before.
Monto, on the other hand, has accumulated a significant amount of $101,000 in unpaid income taxes and penalties to the state, as confirmed by active warrants filed by the New York State Department.
Jacobs expressed his lack of knowledge regarding Monto’s past and assured that he would conduct a thorough investigation.
According to Jacobs, The Post was informed that there should have been a vetting process for his selection, as he is not familiar with it.
“I will definitely consider his selection. It’s definitely worth looking into, and I intend to do so,” he affirmed.
Monto chose not to provide any comments.
Democratic Party delegates are elected by elected officials and party leaders in counties within each congressional district.
Democratic congressional elected officials, as well as other elected party leaders and members of the Democratic National Committee, have been chosen to serve as delegates to the party’s 2024 presidential nominating convention, which will be held in Chicago.
Several notable figures have endorsed Biden in the petitions filed with the state Board of Elections. State Senator Monica Martinez, Bronx Democratic Party Chairman and State Senator Jamaal Bailey, Westchester County Executive and congressional candidate George Latimer, Westchester County Chairwoman Suzanne Berger, Erie Democratic Party leader Jeremy Zellner, and Erie County Executive Mark Polencarz are among those who have shown their support. Additionally, State AFL-CIO President Mario Celento and former Congressman Mondaire Jones have also lent their endorsement to Biden.
In accordance with the rules of the New York state Republican Party, delegates for the presidential primary on April 2 are not required to be submitted to the elections board in advance.