Jimmy Meng
Jimmy Meng | |
|---|---|
| Member of the New York State Assembly from the 22nd district | |
| In office 2005–2006 | |
| Preceded by | Barry Grodenchik |
| Succeeded by | Ellen Young |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1944 (age 79–80) Shandong, Republic of China |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Children | 3 |
Jimmy Kuang Zui Meng (simplified Chinese: 孟广瑞; traditional Chinese: 孟廣瑞; pinyin: Mèng Guǎngruì, born 1944) is a former Member of the New York State Assembly. A Democrat,[1] Meng represented the 22nd Assembly District in Flushing, Queens from 2005 to 2006. He is the first Asian American to have served in the New York State Legislature. Meng pleaded guilty to wire fraud in 2013.
Background and family
Meng's ancestral home was in Shandong Province, China. His father moved to Taiwan due to the Communist Party's takeover of Mainland China. After moving to the United States from Taiwan in 1975,[2] Meng began a successful timber business. Following years of business activity, he became the president of the Flushing Chinese Business Association (FCBA).[3]
Meng is the father of U.S. Representative Grace Meng.[4]
Political career
Meng ran for New York State Assembly in 2002 in the 22nd Assembly District in Flushing, but was defeated by Barry Grodenchik.[5] In 2004, Meng ran for Assembly again. This time, he ousted Grodenchik in the Democratic primary.[6] Running on the Democratic, Independence, and Conservative lines, Meng defeated Republican candidate Meilin Tan, Grodenchik (running on the Working Families Party line), and Green candidate Evergreen Chou in the general election.[7][8] The New York Post reported that Meng used "ghost voters" to win the election. In an interview with Sing Tao Daily (a Chinese newspaper), Meng denied the accusations.[9] He is the first Asian American to have served in the New York State Legislature.[10]
Meng served in the Assembly in 2005 and 2006.[11] He stated that he would not seek re-election in 2006 due to health concerns.[12] He expressed a desire for more Asian Americans and other minorities to run for office.[13] Meng was succeeded by another Asian American, Ellen Young.[14] In turn, Young lost the September 9, 2008 Democratic primary to Jimmy Meng's daughter, Grace Meng.[15] Grace Meng won the 2008 general election in Assembly District 22[16] and went on to become a member of Congress.[17]
Prosecution and guilty plea
Meng was arrested on federal charges on July 25, 2012.[18] On November 14, 2012, he pleaded guilty to wire fraud for soliciting an $80,000 cash bribe (concealed in a fruit basket)[19] and falsely stating that he would use the funds to bribe Manhattan prosecutors to obtain a reduced sentence for a defendant. The government found no evidence that Meng contacted anyone in the District Attorney's Office on behalf of the defendant; rather, investigators concluded that Meng intended to keep the $80,000 for himself.[20][21] On March 12, 2013, Meng was sentenced to a month in jail, a fine of $30,000, three months of house arrest, and 750 hours of community service for his role in the bribery scheme.[22][23]
References
- ^ https://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/15/nyregion/ex-assemblyman-meng-pleads-guilty-in-bribe-case.html
- ^ https://qns.com/story/2002/06/19/jimmy-meng-vies-to-be-first-asian-in-assembly/
- ^ http://baike.baidu.com/item/孟广瑞/12585448?fr=aladdin
- ^ https://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/13/nyregion/ex-assemblyman-jimmy-k-meng-sentenced-in-bribery-scheme.html
- ^ http://www.qchron.com/editions/north/no-surprises-in-elections-for-northern-queens-candidates/article_0b63adf5-e2f3-567d-967a-a7690dfac6d3.html
- ^ https://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/30/nyregion/asian-immigrants-become-political-force-in-flushing.html?mtrref=www.google.com&gwh=9B1998BF221477EF5BFAB5FA925D844F&gwt=pay
- ^ "First Asian American in the NY State Assembly", ChinaDaily, 05-11-2004. Retrieved on 16-02-2007
- ^ "NYS Board of Elections - 2004 Assembly General Election Results" (PDF). New York State Board of Elections. 4 November 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 August 2012.
- ^ "华侨华人". chinaqw.com. Retrieved 22 March 2017.
- ^ https://nypost.com/2012/07/24/fbi-busts-jimmy-meng-1st-asian-american-to-serve-in-ny-legistlature-for-bribery/
- ^ https://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/15/nyregion/ex-assemblyman-meng-pleads-guilty-in-bribe-case.html
- ^ https://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/13/nyregion/13assembly.html
- ^ "因健康原因不再竞选连任 孟广瑞不轻言退出政坛". chinaqw.com. Retrieved 22 March 2017.
- ^ https://qns.com/story/2008/06/26/ellen-young-makes-history-as-temporary-assembly-speaker/
- ^ Noah C. Zuss, "Meng Beats Young in Primary for Flushing Seat." "Southeast Queens Press," Sept. 12-18, 2008, p. 11.
- ^ https://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/28/nyregion/grace-meng-is-rising-star-for-asian-new-yorkers.html
- ^ https://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20180823/POLITICS/180829961/congresswoman-in-line-for-queens-power-post-has-tangled-web-of-real-estate-assets
- ^ ""Former Assemblymember Jimmy Meng, Father Of Grace Meng, Arrested On Bribary [sic] Charge"". Queens Gazette. The Service Advertising Group. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
- ^ Rubenfeld, Samuel (25 July 2012). "Former Assemblyman Arrested in Fruit Basket Bribery Case". wsj.com. Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 22 March 2017.
- ^ "Former Queens Assemblyman Jimmy Meng Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud". fbi.gov. Federal Bureau of Investigation. November 14, 2012. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
- ^ Anuta, Joe (November 14, 2012). "Jimmy Meng pleads guilty in wire fraud case". timesledger.com. Times Ledger (Queens, N.Y.). Retrieved 16 January 2018.
- ^ "Jimmy Meng receives one month sentence for attempting to fix criminal case". nydailynews.com. Retrieved 22 March 2017.
- ^ Nir, Sarah Maslin (March 12, 2013). "Ex-Queens Assemblyman Sentenced in Bribery Case". New York Times. Retrieved September 2, 2015.