Embattled Staten Island Rep. Michael Grimm surrendered to federal authorities this week, racking up a litany of fraud and corruption charges that would have made Cyrus Beene proud. And on The Daily Show last night, Jon Stewart wasted no time in pointing out Grimm's small role in a grand tradition of Northeast crime and corruption—our "signature dish," if you will.
You see, while the Southwest has Hantavirus and Florida "has many roads that lead out of Florida," our fair geopolitical corridor is rife with all the political malfeasance one small democracy can handle, from "Boss Tweed to Whitey Bulger to New Jersey's classic synagogue money laundering/human organ trafficking fad of 2009." Hence, enter SI's finest:
Grimm, a Republican, was hit with a 20-count indictment this week, which included charges of wire fraud, mail fraud and tax fraud. He was given an opportunity to plead his case to House Majority Leader Eric Cantor yesterday, and as of yet has not been asked to resign, probably because everyone's afraid of getting tossed off a balcony.
