Ofir Biton, Rep Michael Grimm Fundraiser, Arrested

Ofir Biton, lead fund raiser for Congressman Michael Grimm, was arrested on charges unrelated to the current grand jury investigating Grimm himself.

http://politicker.com/2012/08/after-biton-arrest-murphy-calls-on-grimm-to-return-500000/

http://statenisland.ny1.com/content/top_stories/167241/rep--grimm-distances-himself-from-his-legally-troubled-former-campaign-fundraiser

http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2012/08/its_staten_islands_grimm_and_m.html


Grimm's Democratic opponent, Mark Murphy, had this to say regarding Biton's arrest:

“The community has come to me, voters have come to me, and they’re outraged,” he continued. “They’re outraged because our congressman, again, has engaged in bad behavior. His chief fundraiser in the last election cycle has been arrested. The communtiy has come to me and they’ve asked, and we ask, Michael Grimm give that money back. Give that $500,000 of illegal campaign contributions that you extorted from Rabbi Pinto and his congregation, give it back. Show the community you care. Show the community you have integrity. We’re so disappointed.”



Shortly before his sexting scandal forced him out of office, then-Rep. Anthony Weiner passed on reports to the FBI that Staten Island Rep. Michael Grimm extorted an influential rabbi for campaign cash.

http://articles.nydailynews.com/2012-03-03/news/31118094_1_anthony-weiner-michael-grimm-fbi-agent


At least three months before the revelation that former Representative Anthony D. Weiner was sending lewd messages and photos to women online, a small group of self-described conservatives was monitoring his exchanges with women on Twitter. Now there is evidence that one or more people created two false identities on Twitter in order to collect information to use against him.


http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/18/nyregion/fake-identities-were-used-on-twitter-to-get-information-on-weiner.html


Michael Grimm's time in the FBI involved extensive undercover work. This man would have been entirely comfortable with the deceptive schemes aimed at Congressman Weiner.

http://articles.nydailynews.com/2009-11-15/news/17938027_1_congressional-seat-staten-island-undercover


The facts are not clear, but the following names and Twitter IDs appear often if you begin searching Google for answers.

@CryingWolfeBlog		Michael Stack
@Patterico				John Patrick Frey
@rsmccain				Robert Stacy McCain
@Liberty_Chick			Mandy Nagy-Phillips
@stranahan				Lee Stranahan
@brandondarby			Brandon Darby
@AaronWorthing			Aaron Walker
@Prepostericity			Seth Allen
@AceOfSpadesHQ		First name Kevin, last name unknown
@NealRauhauser			Neal Rauhauser
@DarrahFord			Darrah Ford
@NYT_JenPreston		Jennifer Preston
@ronbryn				Ron Brynaert
@qritiq					Lane Lipton


The following sites have information about these interlocking mysteries:

http://patterico.com

http://qritiq.wordpress.com

http://davefromqueens2.blogspot.com

http://allergic2bull.blogspot.com

http://theothermccain.com


Someone really should write a book about this once the dust settles from Grimm's grand jury investigation.