New York lawmaker charges Brooklyn bishop sought to bribe her

June 07, 2016

A member of the New York state legislature has charged that Brooklyn's Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio attempted to bribe her to end her support for a bill that would extend the statute of limitations for sex-abuse violations.

Assemblywoman Margaret Markey claimed on June 7 that Bishop DiMarzio offered her $5,000 during a meeting in 2007. The Brooklyn diocese said that the charge is "patently false."

An attempt to bribe a state legislator would be a criminal act. But Markey did not report the alleged offer from the bishop. "Markey says she saw no use in reporting the $5,000 offer to authorities at the time," the New York Daily News reported. Ironically, even if Markey could prove the charge, the statute of limitations would prevent prosecution of the bishop.

“The bishop did not, would not and has never attempted to bribe an elected official or anyone else,” said a spokesswoman for the Brooklyn diocese. “It is beyond comprehension that an elected official would not report an alleged crime of this kind to the proper authorities. She did not report it. It is not true."

 

 

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Further information:

• N.Y. pol says Brooklyn bishop tried to bribe her to drop child-abuse reform; diocese calls her allegation ‘patently false’ (New York Daily News)