Michael Grimm (New York)

Michael Grimm

Republican Party

Prior offices

U.S. House New York District 11

Successor: Daniel Donovan

Predecessor: Yvette D. Clarke

---

Compensation

Net worth

(2012) $309,999

Elections and appointments

Last election

June 26, 2018

Education

Bachelor's

City University of New York, Baruch College

Law

New York Law School

Military

Service / branch

U.S. Marine Corps

Years of service

1989 - 1990

Service / branch

U.S. Marine Corps Reserve

Years of service

1990 - 1997

Personal

Religion

Christian: Catholic

Profession

FBI Agent, Entrepreneur

Michael Grimm (Republican Party) was a member of the U.S. House, representing New York's 11th Congressional District.

Grimm (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent New York's 11th Congressional District. He lost in the Republican primary on June 26, 2018.

Despite negative media attention following his indictment, Grimm won re-election to the House in 2014 to represent the 11th Congressional District of New York. Grimm ran unopposed for the Republican, Conservative and Independence Party nominations in the primary on June 24, 2014. He defeated Domenic Recchia (D) and Henry Bardel (G) in the general election on November 4, 2014.

Before his congressional career, Grimm's work history included service as a United States Marine, an FBI clerk and special agent, a deputized U.S. Marshal, a research analyst on Wall Street, a health food restaurant founder and an executive in a bio-fuel company.

Biography

Email editor@ballotpedia.org to notify us of updates to this biography.

Grimm was born in New York, N.Y. He earned a B.B.A. from Baruch College in 1994 and a J.D. from New York Law School in 2002.

Career

Below is an abbreviated outline of Grimm's academic, professional, and political career:

• 2011-2015: U.S. Representative from New York's 11th Congressional District
• 1997-2006: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

• Clerk
• Completed Federal Police Officer Training Program at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center
• Uniformed Police Officer
• Special Agent investigating the Gambino Crime Family

• 1990-1997: United States Corps reserve
• 1989-1990: United States Marine Corps

• Served in Persian Gulf War and awarded Combat Meritorious Promotion

• Research analyst on Wall Street
• Member of the New York and Connecticut Bar Associations
• Founded health food restaurant, "Healthalicious," in Manhattan
• Principal in a bio-fuel company

Committee assignments

U.S. House

2013-2014

Grimm served on the following committees:

• Financial Services Committee
  • Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation
  • Subcommittee on Capital Markets and Government Sponsored Enterprises
  • Subcommittee on Monetary Policy and Trade

2011-2012

Grimm served on the following committees:

• Financial Services Committee
  • Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation
  • Subcommittee on Capital Markets

Key votes

113th Congress

The second session of the 113th Congress enacted into law 224 out of the 3215 introduced bills (7 percent). Comparatively, the 112th Congress had 4.2 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the second session. For more information pertaining to Grimm's voting record in the 113th Congress, please see the below sections.

National security

NDAA

Grimm voted in support of HR 1960 - the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014. The bill passed the House on June 14, 2013, with a vote of 315 - 108. Both parties were somewhat divided on the vote.

DHS Appropriations

Grimm voted in support of HR 2217 - the DHS Appropriations Act of 2014. The bill passed the House on June 6, 2013, with a vote of 245 - 182 and was largely along party lines.

CISPA (2013)

Grimm voted in support of HR 624 - the CISPA (2013). The bill passed the House on April 18, 2013, with a vote of 288 - 127. The bill permitted federal intelligence agencies to share cybersecurity intelligence and information with private entities and utilities. The bill was largely supported by Republicans, but divided the Democratic Party.

Economy

Farm Bill

See also: United States Farm Bill 2013

Grimm voted for the Farm Bill on July 11, 2013. The bill passed in a 216-208 vote. The bill passed included farm policy, but did not include food stamps.

Government shutdown

See also: United States budget debate, 2013

On September 30, 2013, the House passed a final stopgap spending bill before the shutdown went into effect. The bill included a one-year delay of the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate and would have also stripped the bill of federal subsidies for congressional members and staff. It passed through the House with a vote of 228-201. At 1 a.m. on October 1, 2013, one hour after the shutdown officially began, the House voted to move forward with going to a conference. In short order, Sen. Harry Reid rejected the call to conference. Grimm voted to approve the stopgap spending bill that would have delayed the individual mandate.

The shutdown ended on October 16, 2013, when the House took a vote on HR 2775 after it was approved by the Senate. The bill to reopen the government lifted the $16.7 trillion debt limit and funded the government through January 15, 2014. Federal employees also received retroactive pay for the shutdown period. The only concession made by Senate Democrats was to require income verification for Obamacare subsidies. The House passed the legislation shortly after the Senate, by a vote of 285-144, with all 144 votes against the legislation coming from Republican members. Grimm voted for HR 2775.

Flood insurance reform

In early 2014, Grimm and Louisiana Representative Bill Cassidy co-sponsored the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act. In March 2014, the bill was passed by the U.S. Senate and subsequently signed into law by President Obama. The law repealed steep increases in flood insurance rates for homeowners in flood prone areas, preventing exponential increases in flood insurance premiums for 5.5 million Americans.

Environment

Keystone Pipeline Amendment

Grimm voted in opposition of House Amendment 69, which would have amended HR 3 to "require that the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, in consultation with the Department of Homeland Security, conduct a study of the vulnerabilities of the Keystone XL pipeline to a terrorist attack and certify that necessary protections have been put in place." The amendment failed on May 22, 2013, with a vote of 176 - 239 and was largely along party lines.

Immigration

Several Republican members of the U.S. House may have faced a tougher path to re-election in 2014 because the Gang of Eight's immigration bill did not pass in the House in 2013, according to a Public Policy Poll released in July 2013.

According to the poll, a majority of voters in seven Republican congressional districts said they were less likely to vote for their representative if he or she failed to support the plan. Public Policy Polling described the bill to respondents, saying that it would "secure our borders, block employers from hiring undocumented immigrants, and make sure that undocumented immigrants already in the U.S. with no criminal record register for legal status. If a long list of requirements is met over more than a decade, it provides eligibility for a path to citizenship."

Grimm represented one of those seven districts. Voters also reported in the poll that they were less likely to support Republican candidates in the 2014 general election if the Republican House members blocked this immigration proposal. Voters in all seven districts had at least 61 percent support for the Senate’s immigration plan.

In June 2013 the House approved an amendment to the Department of Homeland Security spending bill that would end the department's discretion policies by cutting off funding for the proposed DREAM Act, which would have temporarily halted the deportations of young immigrants if they have served in the military or are attending college. This vote overturns an executive order signed by President Obama that formalized a process for individuals who were brought into the country without legal permission as children, also known as Dreamers, to remain in the U.S.

The amendment, offered by Rep. Steve King (R) of Iowa, passed the House by a vote of 224-201 and was approved mostly along party lines. However, three Democrats supported the amendment and six Republicans opposed it, while nine members did not vote.Grimm was one of the six Republican members who voted against the amendment.

The amendment would effectively demand the government force out individuals who came to the U.S. as children without legal permission. It contrasts with comprehensive immigration reform efforts, including proposed DREAM Act style legislation, and would resume the deportation of hundreds of thousands of immigrants brought illegally to the United States as children. The amendment was the first immigration-related vote in either chamber of Congress in 2013, and blocks many of the provisions that are mirrored in the Senate’s Gang of Eight bill.

Healthcare

Repealing Obamacare

Grimm voted for all attempts to repeal or delay the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Social issues

Abortion

Grimm voted for HR 1797 - Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. The resolution passed the House on June 18, 2013, with a vote of 228 - 196. The purpose of the bill was to ban abortions that would take place 20 or more weeks after fertilization.

Government affairs

HR 676

See also: Boehner's lawsuit against the Obama administration

On July 30, 2014, the U.S. House approved a resolution 225 to 201 to sue President Barack Obama for exceeding his constitutional authority. Five Republicans—Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Paul Broun of Georgia, Scott Garrett of New Jersey, Walter Jones of North Carolina and Steve Stockman of Texas—voted with Democrats against the lawsuit. Grimm joined the other 224 Republicans in favor of the lawsuit. All Democrats voted against the resolution.

Previous congressional sessions

Fiscal Cliff

Grimm voted for the fiscal cliff compromise bill, which made permanent most of the Bush tax cuts originally passed in 2001 and 2003 while also raising tax rates on the highest income levels. He was 1 of 85 Republicans that voted in favor of the bill. The bill was passed in the House by a 257 - 167 vote on January 1, 2013.

Campaign themes

2018

Grimm’s campaign website stated the following:

“	Thank you for stopping by my web site. Wherever I go in our district, on Staten Island or in Brooklyn, I tell folks – don't worry, I've got your back. This is not a trite platitude, but rather a solemn promise to work hard to consistently deal with the issues that matter most to you, your family, or your small business. Your priorities are my priorities with the biggest challenges being as important as the smallest. Having served in combat with the Marines and as an FBI Agent, I have the experience, leadership and resolve to not only fight for real solutions, but the effectiveness to deliver them. It’s time to put America First and support our President to grow the economy, create jobs, increase all Americans’ quality of life and prosperity, and secure our borders once and for all. Together we can and will tackle the opioid epidemic that is tearing apart our community. We’ll finally attain the transportation infrastructure needed to reduce the ridiculous traffic here at home and we’ll provide for our seniors and veterans ensuring they have the health care and benefits they have earned and deserve. As your Congressman, I took my job very personally, understanding from Day One that your problem was mine to resolve and that I work for you. I'm very proud of the work we did together and the mountains I know we will be able to move in the future. I literally mean every word when I say I've got your back.	”
—Michael Grimm’s campaign website (2018)

2014

Grimm listed his positions on various issues on his campaign website. The following were excerpts from Grimm's website:

“	Jobs & the Economy: "It is clear from the slow growth of our economy, the tax and spend policies put forth by President Obama have failed. From the healthcare law to unachievable EPA standards, the onslaught of job-killing regulations coming out of the Obama Administration are hurting the small businesses of Staten Island and Brooklyn and keeping them from growing and creating jobs." Transportation: "As residents of New York City, we rely heavily on public transportation, but it seems that too often we get the short end of the stick when it comes to services. Staten Island remains the only borough without a free road in and out, our public transportation options are limited, and our roads remain congested as residents face some of the longest commute times in the country. That is why I have made improving public transportation and reducing the costs a top priority." Energy and Environment: "Between tax increases and toll hikes, rising gas and energy prices add insult to injury and put further strain on our ever-tightening budgets. In order to lower energy costs, I support an all-of-the-above approach to energy that reduces our dependence on foreign oil; generates American jobs by tapping into resources here at home; and provides incentives to create clean, renewable, and efficient energy options." U.S. Foreign Policy: "We are at a crucial time when it comes to U.S. foreign policy. There are no easy answers, but it is clear that our foreign policy and national defense must be stronger and more strategic. Since 9/11, the threat of terrorism here and abroad remains high, and our relationships with key allies are more important than ever before." National Security and Defense: "When I was 19, I joined the U.S. Marine Corps and learned from an early age the importance of defending our great nation abroad. As an FBI agent, I learned to defend it at home. New York City remains the #1 terrorist target in the nation, which is why I will not cave when it comes to supporting a strong national defense policy."	”
—Michael Grimm, Campaign website (archive)

2012

Grimm listed several of his campaign themes on his website:

• Strengthening the economy
• Jobs
• Healthcare
• Transportation
• National Security and Defense
• Veterans
• U.S. Foreign Policy
• U.S.-Israel Relationship
• Energy and Environment

Presidential preference

2012

See also: Endorsements by state officials of presidential candidates in the 2012 election

Michael Grimm (New York) endorsed Mitt Romney in the 2012 presidential election.

Political positions

American response in Syria

See also: United States involvement in Syria

In a statement on September 5, 2013, Grimm said that the window for action had passed and that the feedback from his constituents had made him re-think his previous position.

“Thus, after much thought, deliberation and prayer, I am no longer convinced that a U.S. strike on Syria will yield a benefit to the United States that will not be greatly outweighed by the extreme cost of war,” Grimm said.

Grimm added, “Now that the Assad regime has seen our playbook and has been given enough time to prepare and safeguard potential targets, I do not feel that we have enough to gain as a nation by moving forward with this attack on our own.”

These statements were in contrast with his comments from August 31, 2013. Previously, Grimm had said he supported President Obama’s decision to launch military action in Syria, saying he was “supporting the president on this."

Waiving of water fees for Hurricane Sandy victims

On June 22, 2013, Grimm held a press conference to call for water fees to be waived for Sandy survivors who had used little to no water in their damaged homes.

After having suspended sending water bills to Hurricane Sandy victims until June 2013, the New York City Water Board sent out bills with charges accrued since late October 2012. Under the city's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), homeowners are subject to a minimum charge of $1.19 per day, even if a home uses no water. Many displaced residents received water bills for $300 or more. Grimm sought to have the city waive all water fees for Sandy-impacted homeowners.

At the June 22 press conference Grimm expressed his support for waiving the fees, saying "The policy should be that if you're not in your home because of Sandy, then all fees [should] be waived until you move back in."

Climate change

In April 2014, Grimm became the first sitting House Republican to go on the record stating his view that humans cause global warming. Speaking about his views on climate change, Grimm said: "The majority of respected scientists say that it’s conclusive, the evidence is clear. So I don’t think the jury is out.”

Noteworthy events

Campaign investigations

In December 2013, the Justice Department requested that the House Ethics Committee investigation into Grimm's possible campaign finance violations be deferred again. Grimm faced allegations of "soliciting and accepting federal campaign contributions, caus[ing] false information to be included in campaign finance reports, and improperly [seeking] assistance from a foreign national in soliciting campaign contributions in exchange for offering to use his official position to assist that individual in obtaining a green card." The statement from the Justice Department suggested they were still conducting their own investigation. The House Ethics Committee agreed to release a statement once a year, according to a joint statement released by Committee members Michael Conaway and Linda Sanchez.

Incident with reporter

Grimm's January 28, 2014, interview with NY1 reporter.

Following the State of the Union speech on January 28, 2014, Grimm threatened to throw a reporter off a balcony after being asked about his House Ethics Committee investigation. Grimm replied, "That’s off-topic. This is only about president’s speech,” and walked off camera, only to return after the reporter concluded the report.

Grimm issued a statement on January 28, 2014: “I was extremely annoyed because I was doing NY1 a favor by rushing to do their interview first in lieu of several other requests. The reporter knew that I was in a hurry and was only there to comment on the State of the Union, but insisted on taking a disrespectful and cheap shot at the end of the interview, because I did not have time to speak off-topic. I verbally took the reporter to task and told him off, because I expect a certain level of professionalism and respect, especially when I go out of my way to do that reporter a favor. I doubt that I am the first member of Congress to tell off a reporter, and I am sure I won’t be the last.”

Grimm apologized to the reporter on January 29, 2014. Afterwards, he issued the following statement: “I’m a human being, and sometimes your emotions get the better of you. The bottom line, though, is it shouldn’t happen, you shouldn’t lose your cool. That’s why I apologized. When you’re wrong, you’re wrong, and you have to admit it. It shouldn’t happen.”

Indictment

On April 28, 2014, Grimm surrendered to the FBI, facing federal charges of tax fraud related to his restaurant, Healthalicious. Attorney Loretta Lynch was named to oversee the indictment. Grimm had been under federal investigation for campaign finance violations, but Lynch's indictment focused instead on Grimm's restaurant business. Grimm was charged with 20 crimes, including under-reporting income in order to avoid paying taxes, "conspiracy, obstruction, mail fraud, perjury and the unlawful employment of illegal immigrants." This was not the first time that Grimm had gotten into trouble for his restaurant, as Healthalicious was also charged $88,000 in January 2012 for allegedly not providing employees with workers' compensation insurance. The business was connected with his campaign as well. The Grimm company running Healthalicious was closely tied to Israeli fundraiser Ofer Biton, who communicated with Grimm on behalf of Israeli rabbi Yoshiyahu Yosef Pinto. Pinto, who was worth close to $21 million, had many followers who contributed heavily to Grimm's successful 2010 campaign. Some of Pinto's followers admitted to illegally contributing tens of thousands of dollars to Grimm's campaign. Although campaign finance violations were not part of the indictment, Lynch said that the investigation was ongoing.

Throughout much of the case, Grimm's attorney, William McGinley, maintained that Grimm was innocent. McGinley stated, "the government has pursued a politically driven vendetta against Congressman Grimm" and "when the dust settles, he will be vindicated." Grimm ran unopposed in the Republican primary for New York's 11th Congressional District, and since the filing deadline had already passed, Republicans could not nominate anyone else to run for his seat. Despite calls for his resignation, Grimm repeatedly said that he would not resign, and that he would continue campaigning for re-election.

Diana Durand guilty plea

Diana Durand, a former girlfriend of Grimm, was arraigned on May 5, 2014, for violating campaign finance law in order to reimburse straw donors to Grimm's campaign. Her lawyer maintained that she did not know her actions were illegal. On September 3, 2014, Durand pleaded guilty to illegally contributing campaign money to Grimm and one other congressman via straw donors. This was one of the three counts for which she was indicted. Her plea implied that she had acted alone and did not incriminate Grimm. Durand's attorneys requested that Durand serve probation rather than a jail sentence.

The trial

On September 2, 2014, Grimm appeared in New York's Eastern District Court, where U.S. District Judge Pamela Ki Mai Chen ruled that Grimm's trial would begin on December 1, 2014. Grimm's attorney's argued that the trial should be pushed back. Attorney Jeffrey Neiman stated, "We’re obviously in the heart of an election cycle right now. The Democratic party recently put new ads, or are going to begin to air, featuring the U.S. Attorney and snippets of her press conference, which will be airing in, on television here, where our jury pool will be seated... We’re concerned about ensuring Mr. Grimm has a fair trial, and if the jury sees these repeated ads, we’re concerned that there may be prejudice.” Judge Chen refused to push the trial back, saying, "I don’t think given the nature of the publicity up til now and depending on what happens with the election that were [sic] necessarily going to get much of a break if I delay it by a month."

On October 21, the beginning of the trial was pushed back from December 1, 2014, to February 2, 2015.

Guilty plea

In a hearing on December 23, 2014, Grimm pleaded guilty to tax evasion, one of the 20 counts of which he had been accused. On July 17, 2015, a federal judge sentenced him to eight months in prison. Prosecutors had sought a sentence of up to 30 months. At the sentencing, Grimm said, "All my life I have scraped and I have clawed and I have killed myself to better myself. Give me the opportunity to redeem myself," according to The New York Times. U.S. District Judge Pamela Ki Mai Chen, however, stated, "That this type of crime is common does not lessen its significance. Your moral compass, Mr. Grimm, needs some reorientation."

Resignation

Grimm said in late 2014 that he would resign if found guilty, stating, "Certainly, if I was not able to serve then of course I would step aside and there would be a special election." Nonetheless, at a press conference following his guilty plea, Grimm said that he would not step down from office. He explained, "It happened before I was in Congress, and for the past four years I’ve been a strong, effective member of Congress." Republican leaders in the House were reportedly expected to pressure Grimm to leave office, but House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) said that he wanted to talk with Grimm before publicly discussing any plans of action. In 2010, Boehner pledged up uphold a "zero tolerance" policy for ethics violations in the Republican caucus, putting pressure on him to reprimand Grimm.

After meeting with Boehner on December 29, 2014, Grimm announced that he would resign from Congress on January 5, 2015. Grimm announced, "I do not believe that I can continue to be 100% effective in the next Congress, and therefore, out of respect for the Office and the people I so proudly represent, it is time for me to start the next chapter of my life." The next day, Boehner commended Grimm for his resignation, stating, "Rep. Grimm made the honorable decision to step down from his seat in Congress."

Elections

2018

See also: New York's 11th Congressional District election, 2018

General election

General election for U.S. House New York District 11

Max Rose defeated incumbent Daniel Donovan and Henry Bardel in the general election for U.S. House New York District 11 on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Max Rose (D)	53.0	101,823
		Daniel Donovan (R)	46.6	89,441
		Henry Bardel (G)	0.4	774

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 192,038 (100.00% precincts reporting)
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House New York District 11

The following candidates ran in the Democratic primary for U.S. House New York District 11 on June 26, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Max Rose	63.3	11,539
		Michael DeVito Jr.	20.0	3,642
		Omar Vaid	8.7	1,589
		Radhakrishna Mohan	3.9	719
	Submit photo	Paul Sperling	2.7	486
	Submit photo	Zach Emig	1.4	249

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 18,224
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Michael DeCillis (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House New York District 11

Incumbent Daniel Donovan defeated Michael Grimm in the Republican primary for U.S. House New York District 11 on June 26, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Daniel Donovan	62.9	13,515
		Michael Grimm	37.1	7,957

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 21,472
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

Click here to see a list of endorsements in the Republican primary

Republican candidate endorsements Endorsement Date Donovan Grimm Individuals President Donald Trump (R) May 30, 2018 ✔ Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani May 18, 2018 ✔ Former White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci April 30, 2018 ✔ House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) October 11, 2017 ✔ Former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon October 5, 2017 ✔ House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) Unknown ✔ House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) Unknown ✔ Former U.S. Rep. Guy Molinari (R) Unknown ✔ Organizations Staten Island Advance June 17, 2018 ✔ New York Post June 10, 2018 ✔ Patrolmen's Benevolent Association June 5, 2018 ✔ New York AFL-CIO April 12, 2018 ✔ Richmond County Independence Party February 28, 2018 ✔ New York Reform Party February 26, 2018 ✔ Staten Island Republican Party February 22, 2018 ✔ New York Conservative Party February 14, 2018 ✔

Campaign finance

Name	Party	Receipts*	Disbursements**	Cash on hand	Date
Daniel Donovan	Republican Party	$2,605,455	$2,694,356	$97,462	As of December 31, 2018
Michael DeVito Jr.	Democratic Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Zach Emig	Democratic Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Radhakrishna Mohan	Democratic Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Max Rose	Democratic Party	$4,679,140	$4,441,148	$237,992	As of December 31, 2018
Paul Sperling	Democratic Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Omar Vaid	Democratic Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Michael Grimm	Republican Party	$478,170	$500,578	$30,119	As of December 31, 2018
Henry Bardel	Green Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2018. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC). * According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee." ** According to the FEC, a disbursement "is a purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit or gift of money or anything of value to influence a federal election," plus other kinds of payments not made to influence a federal election. *** Candidate either did not report any receipts or disbursements to the FEC, or Ballotpedia did not find an FEC candidate ID.

2014

See also: New York's 11th Congressional District elections, 2014

The 11th Congressional District of New York held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 4, 2014. Incumbent Michael Grimm (R) defeated challengers Domenic Recchia (D) and Henry Bardel (G). All three candidates ran unopposed in the primary election on June 24, 2014. Grimm appeared on the Republican, Conservative and Independence Party tickets in the general election, while Recchia appeared on the Democratic and Working Families Party tickets. Bardel ran for the Green Party.

New York's 11th was considered a battleground district in 2014. Grimm won re-election in 2012 with a 5 percent margin of victory, but the district went Democratic in the 2012 presidential race, voting for President Barack Obama with a 4.3 percent margin of victory. Grimm's chances for re-election could also have been affected by the negative media attention he received after being indicted for 20 crimes involving his restaurant, Healthalicious, including tax fraud and hiring illegal immigrants.

U.S. House, New York District 11 General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Michael Grimm Incumbent	54.8%	58,886
	Democratic	Domenic Recchia	42.1%	45,244
	Green	Henry Bardel	2.5%	2,687
	N/A	Write-in votes	0.5%	546
Total Votes				107,363
Source: New York State Board of Elections, NYS Board of Elections Rep. in Congress Election Returns November 4, 2014," accessed August 30, 2021

Race background

Grimm was a member of the National Republican Congressional Committee's Patriot Program. The program was designed to assist vulnerable Republican incumbents in the 2014 election cycle. He has also been listed by the House Majority PAC as a target in 2014.

Loss of campaign manager

Bill Cortese, Grimm's campaign manager and the only employee working full-time on his campaign, quit after Grimm's indictment. Grimm's advisor, Guy Molinari, said that they were not concerned about the campaign, stating simply that "Bill opted to follow a different course. In every campaign, you have changes that take place." According to an unnamed person familiar with the campaign, organizations such as the National Republican Congressional Committee denied aid to Grimm's campaign after the indictment, and with decreases to his budget, Grimm could no longer afford to pay Cortese's salary.

Endorsements

Grimm received the following endorsements:

• The New York Independence Party
• The Humane Society Legislative Fund

Media

• The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) released an ad attacking Grimm for the tax fraud charges under investigation in his indictment.

DCCC ad attacking Michael Grimm

2012

See also: New York's 11th Congressional District elections, 2012

Grimm won re-election in 2012, but due to redistricting, he ran in the newly redrawn 11th District. He was unopposed in the Conservative and Republican primaries on June 26, 2012, and defeated Mark Murphy (D) and Henry Bardel (G) in the general election on November 6, 2012.

U.S. House, New York District 11 General Election, 2012

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Mark Murphy	46.8%	92,430
	Republican	Michael Grimm Incumbent	52.2%	103,118
	Green	Henry Bardel	1%	1,939
	N/A	Write-in votes	0.1%	148
Total Votes				197,635
Source: New York State Board of Elections, "NYS Board of Elections Rep. in Congress Election Returns Nov. 6, 2012," accessed September 1, 2021

Ballot challenge

Grimm initially attempted to file as an Independence Party candidate as well as Republican, but a press from Democratic challenger Mark Murphy successfully knocked Grimm from that line. Grimm remained on the ballot as a Republican, and the Independence Party line was blank on the ballot.

Full history

To view the full congressional electoral history for Michael Grimm, click [show] to expand the section.

2010 On November 2, 2010, Michael Grimm won election to the United States House. He defeated Michael McMahon (D) and Tom Vendittelli (L) in the general election. U.S. House, New York District 13 General Election, 2010 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Republican Michael Grimm 51.3% 65,026      Democratic Michael E. McMahon incumbent 47.9% 60,773      Libertarian Tom Vendittelli 0.7% 929      N/A Write-in votes 0.1% 72 Total Votes 126,800

Campaign finance summary

---

Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

---

Michael Grimm campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2018	U.S. House New York District 11	Lost primary	$478,170	$500,578
2014	U.S. House (New York, District 11)	Won	$2,000,574	N/A**
2012	U.S. House New York District 11	Won	$2,263,993	N/A**
2010	U.S. House New York District 13	Won	$1,278,332	N/A**
Grand total			$6,021,069	$500,578
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

Personal Gain Index

See also: Personal Gain Index (U.S. Congress)

The Personal Gain Index (U.S. Congress) is a two-part measurement that illustrates the extent to which members of the U.S. Congress have prospered during their tenure as public servants.
It consists of two different metrics:

• Changes in Net Worth
• The Donation Concentration Metric

PGI: Change in net worth

See also: Changes in Net Worth of U.S. Senators and Representatives (Personal Gain Index) and Net worth of United States Senators and Representatives

Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by OpenSecrets.org, Grimm's net worth as of 2012 was estimated between $-99,999 and $719,997. That averages to $309,999, which is lower than the average net worth of Republican representatives in 2012 of $7,614,097.96. Grimm ranked as the 314th most wealthy representative in 2012. Between 2009 and 2012, Grimm's calculated net worth decreased by an average of 13 percent per year. Between 2004 and 2012, the average annual percentage increase for a member of Congress was 15.4 percent.

Michael Grimm Yearly Net Worth
Year	Average Net Worth
2009	$512,620
2012	$309,999
Growth from 2009 to 2012:	−40%
Average annual growth:	−13%
Comparatively, the American citizen experienced a median yearly decline in net worth of -0.94%.

The data used to calculate changes in net worth may include changes resulting from assets gained through marriage, inheritance, changes in family estates and/or trusts, changes in family business ownership, and many other variables unrelated to a member's behavior in Congress.

PGI: Donation Concentration Metric

See also: The Donation Concentration Metric (U.S. Congress Personal Gain Index)

Filings required by the Federal Election Commission report on the industries that give to each candidate. Using campaign filings and information calculated by OpenSecrets.org, Ballotpedia calculated the percentage of donations by industry received by each incumbent over the course of his or her career (or 1989 and later, if elected prior to 1988). Grimm received the most donations from individuals and PACs employed by the Real Estate industry.

From 2009-2014, 30.71 percent of Grimm's career contributions came from the top five industries as listed below.

Michael Grimm (New York) Campaign Contributions
Total Raised	$5,399,626
Total Spent	$4,387,045
Top five industries that contributed to campaign committee
Real Estate	$483,739
Securities & Investment	$402,317
Leadership PACs	$334,535
Insurance	$225,748
Lawyers/Law Firms	$212,141
% total in top industry	8.96%
% total in top two industries	16.41%
% total in top five industries	30.71%

Analysis

Ideologies and leadership

See also: GovTrack's Political Spectrum & Legislative Leadership ranking

Based on an analysis of bill sponsorship by GovTrack, Grimm was a centrist Republican leader as of August 2014. Grimm was rated as a "centrist Republican" in June 2013.

Like-minded colleagues

The website OpenCongress tracks the voting records of each member to determine with whom he or she votes most and least often. The results include a member from each party.

Grimm most often voted with:

• Peter King
• Mike McIntyre

Grimm least often voted with:

• Walter Jones
• Barbara Lee

Lifetime voting record

See also: Lifetime voting records of United States Senators and Representatives

According to the website GovTrack, Grimm missed 112 of 2,726 roll call votes from January 2011 to August 2014. This amounted to 4.1 percent, which was worse than the median of 2.5 percent among congressional representatives as of August 2014.

Congressional staff salaries

See also: Staff salaries of United States Senators and Representatives

The website Legistorm compiles staff salary information for members of Congress. Grimm paid his congressional staff a total of $987,551 in 2011. Overall, New York ranked 28th in average salary for representative staff. The average U.S. House of Representatives congressional staff was paid $954,912.20 in fiscal year 2011.

Staff bonuses

According to an analysis by CNN, Grimm was one of nearly 25 percent of House members who gave their staff bonuses in 2012. Grimm's staff was given an apparent $24,400.00 in bonus money.

National Journal vote ratings

See also: National Journal vote ratings

Each year National Journal publishes an analysis of how liberally or conservatively each member of Congress voted in the previous year. Click the link above for the full ratings of all members of Congress.

2013

Grimm ranked 199th in the liberal rankings in 2013. Although he was a Republican, Grimm's liberal ranking was higher than his conservative ranking.

2012

Grimm ranked 228th in the conservative rankings in 2012.

2011

Grimm ranked 226th in the conservative rankings in 2011.

Voting with party

The website OpenCongress tracks how often members of Congress vote with the majority of the chamber caucus.

2014

Grimm voted with the Republican Party 85.3 percent of the time, which ranked 226th among the 234 House Republican members as of August 2014.

2013

Grimm voted with the Republican Party 86 percent of the time, which ranked 230th among the 234 House Republican members as of June 2013.

Recent news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Michael Grimm New York Congress. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

Michael Grimm (New York) - Google News

See also

• New York
• United States congressional delegations from New York
• United States House of Representatives
• New York's 11th Congressional District election, 2018
• New York's 11th Congressional District elections, 2014
• New York's 11th Congressional District
• Misconduct in the 113th Congress (2013-2014)

External links

 

• Social media:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
• Biographies:
  • U.S. Congress
  • NNDB
  • Wikipedia
• Political profiles:
  • GovTrack
  • CongressMerge
  • OurCampaigns
  • Project Vote Smart
  • Roll Call
• Financial (federal level):
  • FEC contributions
  • OpenSecrets.org
  • LegiStorm.com
  • Washington Post
• Interest group ratings:
  • Project Vote Smart
• Issue positions:
  • On The Issues
  • Project Vote Smart
• Legislation:
  • Congress.gov
• Public statements:
  • Project Vote Smart
• Voting record:
  • Project Vote Smart
  • Washington Post
• Media appearances:
  • C-SPAN
  • IMDb
• Media coverage:
  • The Hill
  • Huffington Post
  • New York Times
  • Washington Times

Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by Yvette D. Clarke	U.S. House of Representatives - New York District 11 2013–2015	Succeeded by Daniel Donovan
Preceded by Michael E. McMahon	U.S. House of Representatives - New York District 13 2011–2013	Succeeded by Charles Rangel

[show]

New York's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Kirsten Gillibrand (D)

Chuck Schumer (D)

Representatives

District 1

Nicholas LaLota (R)

District 2

Andrew Garbarino (R)

District 3

Tom Suozzi (D)

District 4

Laura Gillen (D)

District 5

Gregory Meeks (D)

District 6

Grace Meng (D)

District 7

Nydia Velazquez (D)

District 8

Hakeem Jeffries (D)

District 9

Yvette Clarke (D)

District 10

Daniel Goldman (D)

District 11

Nicole Malliotakis (R)

District 12

Jerrold Nadler (D)

District 13

Adriano Espaillat (D)

District 14

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D)

District 15

Ritchie Torres (D)

District 16

George Latimer (D)

District 17

Michael Lawler (R)

District 18

Pat Ryan (D)

District 19

Josh Riley (D)

District 20

Paul Tonko (D)

District 21

Elise Stefanik (R)

District 22

John Mannion (D)

District 23

Nick Langworthy (R)

District 24

Claudia Tenney (R)

District 25

Joseph Morelle (D)

District 26

Tim Kennedy (D)

Democratic Party (21)

Republican Party (7)