By Shayna Jacobs
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MANHATTAN SUPREME COURT — A Manhattan judge upheld most grand larceny charges against a political consultant and fundraiser who allegedly swindled Mayor Michael Bloomberg's campaign out of more than $1 million for "poll-watching" services.
"Here, there is no question that the evidence is legally sufficient as to defendant Haggerty," Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Ronald Zweibel wrote in his ruling, in which he denied the motion to dismiss the charges.
Prosecutors say Haggerty's company, Special Elections Operations, was not even in existence when the funds were transferred to his account on Oct. 30, 2009, during Bloomberg's run for a third term.
He is the sole member of the company that was established more than a month after the funds transfer, prosecutors said.
"[Haggerty] is not Robin Hood, stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. He concocted this elaborate scheme because he needed the money to buy out his brother's share of the family home," the judge wrote.
"The bottom line is that [Haggerty] sought to enrich himself at mayor Bloomberg's expense and got caught when the newspaper started to investigate he Mayor's donation to the Independence Party."
Lawyers for Haggerty were seeking to have the indictment tossed and also to force the district attorney's office to turn over evidence from the Independence Party and the Bloomberg campaign.
"We're perfectly happy with the decision," Assistant District Attorney Eric Seidel said at the brief hearing Tuesday, even though one grand larceny charge against Haggery's company, which is charged as an entity, was dismissed in the judge's ruling.
Haggerty allegedly created a ballot security firm to funnel Bloomberg's campaign money, $750,000 of which he is accused of pocketing directly.
His lawyer has argued the charges were only the result of implications in news reports that Haggerty was responsible for missing campaign funds.
The case will now likely head to trial and Haggerty faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted of the top count.
The judge also issued a gag order to attorneys on both sides.
