Replies

http://wcbs880.com/njnews/NJ--ContributorCharge-jn/resources_news_html

Court suspends law license of troubled Democratic contributor
Thursday March 03, 2005
By MATT SMITH
Associated Press Writer

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) A midlevel state appeals court Thursday suspended the New York law license of a major New Jersey Democratic Party contributor who pleaded guilty last year to witness tampering and tax charges.

Charles B. Kushner will be prohibited from practicing law in New York under the decision by the Appellate Division of state Supreme Court. The motion to suspend Kushner's license was made by the state's Committee on Professional Standards.

Kushner is to be sentenced Friday in federal court in New Jersey for using a prostitute to seduce his brother-in-law who was a witness in a federal probe that focused on Kushner's donations and business.

Kushner pleaded guilty in August to the witness tampering charge. In doing so, he also admitted sending a tape of the seduction to the man's wife Kushner's sister.

Kushner pleaded guilty as well to campaign finance violations and 16 counts of filing false tax returns for various partnerships affiliated with his company, avoiding up to $325,000 in taxes.

Since 1997, Kushner gave more than $1 million to Democrats and was the top donor to former New Jersey Gov. James E. McGreevey's successful gubernatorial campaign. The married McGreevey, whose administration was mired in its own scandals, resigned in November after admitting to a homosexual affair.

Kushner also donated funds in the past to New York Democrats, including U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, state Attorney General Eliot Spitzer and state Comptroller Alan Hevesi.

Kushner, 50, has been free on $5 million bail pending sentencing. He faces between 18 and 33 months in prison.

Following his guilty plea, Kushner resigned as chairman of The Kushner Companies, a firm valued at more than $1 billion that owns or manages 20,000 apartments in New Jersey and several other states. The company also builds new homes and has commercial properties throughout New York and New Jersey.

A call Kushner's attorney Robert Ray was not immediately returned.