By Howard Koplowitz
–U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-St. Albans) dismissed a published report that southeast Queens elected officials and U.S. Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-East Elmhurst), chairman of the Queens Democratic Party, met in secret to discuss replacing the Jamaica congressman.
The New York Post, citing two unnamed elected officials who were “familiar” with the meeting, said the alleged sitdown at the Guy R. Brewer Democratic Club led to a decision that state Sen. Malcolm Smith (D-St. Albans) should succeed Meeks, who is reportedly under federal investigation for receiving a $40,000 payment from a Richmond Hill businessman who is charged with mortgage fraud.
“The Post has its own way to create its own facts,” Meeks said in a phone interview Monday, a day after the story was published. “Everybody that was allegedly at this meeting said categorically there was no such meeting.
The newspaper said Smith, Crowley and City Councilmen Leroy Comrie (D-St. Albans) and Ruben Wills (D-Jamaica) met on an unspecified date last month to discuss Meeks.
A spokeswoman for Smith said the senator was not aware of any secret meeting.
“If there was a meeting, the senator had no knowledge of it and the senator never attended the meeting,” she said
Crowley, Comrie and Wills could not be reached for comment.
The story, citing an unnamed source, reported that Meeks’ “premature exit is assumed.”
“Resigning? Are you kidding me? That’s nowhere near what I’m doing,” Meeks said.
Donovan Richards, chief of staff to Councilman James Sanders (D-Laurelton), also said the councilman was not aware of a meeting in southeast Queens.
“If there was one, we weren’t invited,” Richards said.
Reach reporter Howard Koplowitz by e-mail at hkoplowitz@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4573.
