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Biden’s NY Delegate has Criminal Record, Owes State $101K in Back Taxes & Penalties
By: Benyamin Davidsons
A Democratic NY delegate, appointed to be part of President Joe Biden’s re-election council, has criminal baggage. As reported by the NY Post, James “Jimmy” Monto III — who pleaded guilty to falsifying business records while he was an employee with a City School District — is on Biden’s list of pledged delegates representing the 22nd Congressional District for the presidential re-election campaign. Monto had been convicted of falsifying Syracuse school district business records and the local district attorney’s office accused him of trying to take an illegal tax credit, which cost the school district thousands of dollars in payments to the IRS. The Democrat still owes New York state $101,000 in back income taxes and penalties, per active warrants filed by the state department.
Notwithstanding, Monto was surprisingly appointed to fill a vacancy on the Democrat’s local council in Syracuse, and he was re-elected in 2022 in the Democratic-leaning city, in spite of his conviction. State Democratic Party Chairman Jay Jacobs, Gov. Kathy Hochul, and the Biden campaign must each sign off to approve appointed delegates. Per the Post, a Democratic Party insider said he was shocked that Monto was appointed to the position. “Kathy Hochul Hochul and Jay Jacobs aren’t sending their best to represent Biden at the Democratic National Convention,” said the source, who did not wish to be named. “Monto stole from the Syracuse school district. He stole from kids!” the party activist said.
In 2022, the Syracuse media did its part to raise awareness around Monto’s criminal baggage. “The newest member of the Syracuse Common Council, 5th District Councilor Jimmy Monto, carries some heavy baggage to his new job. Monto pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor in 2012 after he was accused of falsifying payroll documents while working at the Syracuse City School District and failing to pay $12,161 in state taxes for three years,” Syracuse.com wrote in a 2022 editorial. “We’re all for giving second chances. But something doesn’t sit right with Monto’s redemption story … Members of the Common Council interviewing Monto for the job showed a stunning lack of curiosity about his past. … Monto told councilors he had been charged with a crime previously but they did not press him for further details. Nor did they explore how it might affect his work on the council, which votes on the school district budget and other tax matters,” the editorial said.
In 2022, Monto had told syracuse.com that he simply doesn’t know how the school district’s payroll records were switched up, adding that he only pleaded guilty because “I was younger, I was terrified, and I’d never been in trouble before.”
Democratic Party delegates are elected by existing elected officials and the party leaders in the counties within that particular congressional district. Monto’s name was on the list of delegates on petitions for Biden filed with the state Board of Elections. Per the Post, other Democrats named in the list include: state Sen. Monica Martinez (D-Hauppauge), Bronx Democratic Party Chairman and state Sen. Jamaal Bailey, Westchester County Executive and congressional candidate George Latimer, Westchester County Chairwoman Suzanne Berger, Erie Democratic Party leader Jeremy Zellner and Erie County Executive Mark Polencarz, state AFL-CIO president Mario Celento, and former Congressman Mondaire Jones, among others.
The Party Chairman, Jacobs, commented saying he didn’t know of Monto’s past and that he would investigate the matter.
