By Courtney Dentch
Former City Councilman Sheldon Leffler escaped jail time and was sentenced to five years probation and community service Friday for his conviction on campaign finance fraud charges.
Judge Lewis Bart Stone compared Leffler’s downfall to a “classical tragedy” as he sentenced the former lawmaker to probation, 540 hours of community service and a $5,000 fine in State Supreme Court in Manhattan Friday.
Leffler, who represented Queens for 24 years and earned a reputation as an honest and hardworking politician, was found guilty in November of illegally attempting to obtain $40,000 in public matching funds during his 2001 campaign for Queens borough president.
“A classical tragedy involves hubris,” Stone told Leffler in handing down the sentence. “Your tragic flaw is your inability to give up the trappings of political office. You overreached. That is the tragedy of this case. Your overreaching was criminal.”
Leffler, 61, was convicted Nov. 12 of attempting to defraud the city of $40,000 by splitting one donation into 38 smaller amounts to qualify illegally for the city’s matching funds program during his bid for borough president. Assistant District Attorney Daniel Cort argued during the four-week trial that Leffler convinced Hollis real estate mogul Rita Stark to split a $10,000 contribution into smaller $250 donations so the money would qualify for the city’s campaign matching funds program.
The matching funds program allows candidates to get $4 in public funds for every $1 they raise in eligible gifts under $250.
Leffler also told Stark to donate the funds under names of her employees, family, friends, tenants and contractors and forge their signatures on contribution cards.
Stark testified against Leffler and wore a wire to secretly record conversations with the lawmaker and his staff as part of a plea agreement with the Manhattan district attorney. She was not charged with anything.
Leffler faced four years in prison, but Stone chose probation and community service. Stone also prohibited Leffler from re-applying for his law license, which he automatically lost when he was convicted of the felony charges, for five years.
“The loss of your law license and your office is enough of a punishment to make an example of you to deter others,” Stone said. “I believe the community will be satisfied with no jail time.”
In his sentencing argument, Cort said Leffler should not get special treatment because he is a politician, but defense lawyer Fred Hafetz refuted that, saying Leffler’s past is very much a part of the case.
“He contributed to the life of this city,” he said. “Who and what the whole man is is part of the sentencing process. The conviction is a small part of Mr. Leffler’s life.”
In the Council, Leffler, who chaired the Public Security Committee, earned a reputation for honesty and integrity. Leffler worked in the Council to establish the city’s recycling laws and was an advocate for other environmental issues.
Political leaders from Queens, including Borough President Helen Marshall, former Councilman Tom Ognibene and state Sen. John Sabini (D-Jackson Heights), who served with Leffler in the Council, wrote letters of support on Leffler’s behalf, Hafetz said.
Hafetz suggested that Leffler be sentenced to do community service with the Osborne Association, an organization with two Long Island City offices that helps released convicts adjust to living in the community again. Stone accepted the request, and Leffler will serve 15 hours a month for three years, the judge said.
“I accept the sentence today,” was all Leffler would say following the hearing. He and Hafetz plan to appeal the conviction, Hafetz said.
Leffler’s wife, Joy, had a more emotional response to the lenient sentence, crying as Stone announced prison time would not be required and whispering “thank God” as they embraced.
Reach reporter Courtney Dentch by e-mail at news@timesledger.com, or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 138.
