A lawyer for a NYPD police officer said his client’s actions were no worse than Hillary Clinton’s when he exchanged favors for bribes.
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Retired NYPD Deputy Inspector James Grant plead not guilty on Wednesday in Manhattan Federal Court citing ignorance of the law, which he says is the same defense the FBI used to recommend no charges against Hillary Clinton.
FBI Director James Comey said Hillary Clinton’s use of her private email server was “extremely careless” but was not worthy of criminal charges.
“It’s similar to what the FBI director said about Hillary Clinton — and why she wasn’t charged,” said defense attorney John Meringolo.
“She was unaware that she was committing any crime. Here there’s no crime whatsoever.”
Meringolo says Grants actions are only violations of police misconduct. Grant enjoyed a lavish trip and allegedly had sex with prostitute Gabi Grecko on a private jet to Las Vegas for Super Bowl weekend in 2013.
Grant and two co-defendants received more than $100,000 in bribes and gifts from two Brooklyn businessmen, according to Federal prosecutors.
NYPD Deputy Chief Michael Harrington and diamond dealer Jeremy Reichberg plead not guilty to several charges Wednesday, including conspiracy to commit honest-services fraud, conspiracy to pay and receive bribes, honest-services wire fraud and the payment and receipt of bribes.
Harrington and Grant face up to 40 years in prison, while Reichberg who has been accused of giving out large sums of money to police officials with his business associate Jona Rechnitz.
According to what Manhattan US Attorney Preet Bharara said in an indictment, Reichberg and Rechnitz received a “police force for themselves and friends.”
