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A complaint filed against a Republican running to replace scandal-scarred ex-Councilman Dennis Gallagher claims the candidate used his position as a Board of Elections Commissioner to get campaign donations and gifts from subordinates.

The anonymous complaint, filed with four city agencies - including the Conflicts of Interest Board and the Campaign Finance Board - alleges that Anthony Como abused his position as a Queens Republican Elections Commissioner.

Como - who is the Queens County GOP committee’s choice to win the June 3 special election - strongly denied the allegations.

“Mr. Como has flagrantly violated the law multiple times,” reads the complaint, which was obtained by The Post. “He . . . has solicited and accepted contributions from many Board of Elections employees [subordinates] over whom he had direct control and authority.”

Filings with the CFB show Como took eight donations from board employees in late March and early April.

The complaint also claims Como took gifts from board employees for his wedding, including a trip for himself and his wife worth more than $1,000, even though most of the subordinates invited to his wedding “had no prior or personal relationship with” him.

COIB rules prohibit officials from asking subordinates to donate to campaigns.

Como called the allegations “bulls- - - ” and said he never asked his workers for anything. He said the one trip he’s ever been on with his wife “was my honeymoon,” and that no employees paid for it.

He initially said he couldn’t have taken donations from board employees because he resigned his position on April 18, when the special election was called, and didn’t form his committee until then.

He later acknowledged the campaign account was opened earlier, but said he had held one campaign kickoff event and didn’t solicit donations for it.

He called the allegations “absolutely atrocious and disgusting” and said he and his wife were owed apologies.

Gallagher, who represented Middle Village, resigned his seat last month as part of a plea deal in which he admitted to misdemeanor sex-abuse charges with no jail time in a case that began with a rape allegation from a woman he met at a local bar last year.

Gallagher, a Republican, told The Post recently that he thought he could have been cleared.

“I believe that had this gone to trial, I would have been vindicated,” Gallagher said.

Source: NY Post

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A complaint filed against a Republican running to replace scandal-scarred ex-Councilman Dennis Gallagher claims the candidate used his position as a Board of Elections Commissioner to get campaign donations and gifts from subordinates.

The anonymous complaint, filed with four city agencies - including the Conflicts of Interest Board and the Campaign Finance Board - alleges that Anthony Como abused his position as a Queens Republican Elections Commissioner.

Como - who is the Queens County GOP committee’s choice to win the June 3 special election - strongly denied the allegations.

“Mr. Como has flagrantly violated the law multiple times,” reads the complaint, which was obtained by The Post. “He . . . has solicited and accepted contributions from many Board of Elections employees [subordinates] over whom he had direct control and authority.”

Filings with the CFB show Como took eight donations from board employees in late March and early April.

The complaint also claims Como took gifts from board employees for his wedding, including a trip for himself and his wife worth more than $1,000, even though most of the subordinates invited to his wedding “had no prior or personal relationship with” him.

COIB rules prohibit officials from asking subordinates to donate to campaigns.

Como called the allegations “bulls- - - ” and said he never asked his workers for anything. He said the one trip he’s ever been on with his wife “was my honeymoon,” and that no employees paid for it.

He initially said he couldn’t have taken donations from board employees because he resigned his position on April 18, when the special election was called, and didn’t form his committee until then.

He later acknowledged the campaign account was opened earlier, but said he had held one campaign kickoff event and didn’t solicit donations for it.

He called the allegations “absolutely atrocious and disgusting” and said he and his wife were owed apologies.

Gallagher, who represented Middle Village, resigned his seat last month as part of a plea deal in which he admitted to misdemeanor sex-abuse charges with no jail time in a case that began with a rape allegation from a woman he met at a local bar last year.

Gallagher, a Republican, told The Post recently that he thought he could have been cleared.

“I believe that had this gone to trial, I would have been vindicated,” Gallagher said.

Source: NY Post

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