NEW YORK – Greek-American Nomiki Konst’s recent unsuccessful campaign for New York City Public Advocate was in the news again following a complaint to the Campaign Finance Board (CFB) filed by former aide Jason Coniglione. According to the complaint, Konst’s campaign allegedly “paid $114,918 in taxpayer funds to a firm associated with her ‘on-again-off-again’ boyfriend ‘for services largely not performed,’” the New York Post reported, adding that “not only does this violate the rules, it is fraud under the New York Penal law.”
Just five days before the February 26 special election, Konst received public matching funds in the amount of $512,560. The Post reported that Konst campaign funds totaling $114,918 were paid to Deep South Political Consulting, a firm Lonny Paris, the above-mentioned boyfriend and “an influential Konst campaign adviser” is “associated” with, the complaint alleges.
The office of public advocate has a budget of nearly $3.5 million, the Post reported, noting that “in total, 11 eligible candidates received $11.1 million in taxpayer funds.”
Coniglione said in the complaint that the “documentation provided by the firm about robo-calls and live calls it supposedly performed was ‘suspicious’ and he would not submit the documentation to the CFB,” the Post reported, adding that reports “after the election indicated that only one van carrying 12 paid workers paid by Deep South showed up on one day – Election Day…All they did was hang up posters,” alleged the complaint filed by Coniglione’s lawyer, Arthur Schwartz, the Post reported.
Among a field of 17 candidates, Konst only received 2.3 percent of the vote. The Arizona-born New Yorker with roots in Northern Epiros, Kefalonia, and Kalymnos (the family name was originally Konstantakis) was profiled in The National Herald twice before, in 2016, during the election campaign as a staunch Bernie Sanders supporter featured on numerous national television networks throughout that race, and in 2018, following her announcement that she would be running for Public Advocate.
Konst’s attorney, Arthur Greig, “dismissed the complaint, claiming Coniglione tried to shake down Konst,” the Post reported, quoting from a statement by Greig that “these baseless allegations were made by a campaign aide who both sexually harassed Ms. Konst and attempted to extort Ms. Konst for money and a personal sexual relationship.”
Greig continued, “The campaign aide’s irrational behaviors have been delusional and physically threatening and we have notified the appropriate authorities and may pursue appropriate legal action if necessary.”
The Konst campaign also called Coniglione a “‘sexual predator’ who had a ‘fatal attraction’ for her,” the Post reported.
“Running for office as a woman is hard enough. I’ve stayed silent about the personal attacks I’ve received over the past few months from those who have slandered my character for their own personal and political gain – but my personal safety is now at risk,” Konst told the Post.
When asked about Konst’s counter-accusations, Coniglione dismissed them and “stood by his complaint,” the Post reported.
Konst announced on April 22 that she filed a lawsuit in New York State Supreme Court against her former campaign aide for filing a false complaint.
The lawsuit seeks injunctive relief and money damages for Coniglione’s participation in a scheme to undermine, extort, and defame Konst.
She presented the following background to her case:
- Coniglione wiretapped campaign headquarters:
Though joining as an enthusiastic campaign aide on his first campaign, Mr. Coniglione became disillusioned after he expressed romantic feelings to Ms. Konst and was denied.
He then met and worked closely with a campaign opponent to undermine the Konst campaign. He invented facts, created scenarios and provoked arguments so that he could surreptitiously record people without their knowledge. Moreover, he stole confidential information, sensitive financial documents and property from the campaign to share it with that opponent.
- Filed False and Misleading Complaint:
Still working closely with the campaign opponent, Mr. Coniglione then filed a false and misleading complaint against the campaign last week. He manufactured unsupportable allegations and publicized the complaint to defame Ms. Konst and the campaign.
Konst said, “There have been ongoing national stories about how established political individuals are suppressing progressive women in politics. But Jason went over the top – from his infatuation and delusions to threats and retaliation. He became a tool used by experienced political players for their own political agenda.”
She continued, “Political opponents are playing a sick game by working with Jason, someone who has exhibited irrational, threatening, and obsessive behavior that’s putting me at physical risk and hurting the reputations of many good people who worked on our campaign.”
The Konst campaign reiterated, “Jason Coniglione was not only a physical risk to the candidate and others, but we now know he was not acting in good faith. Once we called him out for his actions of sabotage and attempted extortion, Mr. Coniglione – working through our opponent’s advice – began his smear campaign in the press and otherwise.
“Bottom line: Mr. Coniglione’s wild stories and delusional tales are meant only to distract from his attempts to sabotage and put Ms. Konst and others at risk. We urge the media to question his motives before entertaining and reinforcing his delusions.”
Konst alleges the following causes of action against Mr. Coniglione:
Theft of property and confidential information from campaign headquarters; surreptitious recording of private conversations; violation of Non-Disclosure Agreement; filing a false and misleading complaint with campaign finance board; and defamation against Konst and her campaign
The suit is asking for financial rewards in damages.
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