By Shayna Jacobs
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MANHATTAN SUPREME COURT — A former campaign volunteer accused of stealing more than $1 million of Mayor Michael Bloomberg's campaign funds wants prosecutors to dismiss charges against him, even as prosecutors revealed that Bloomberg testified against him to a grand jury.
John Haggerty, a professional campaign worker who allegedly swindled cash from Bloomberg's third term effort earmarked for ballot security and poll watching services, learned for the first time Tuesday that Bloomberg was one of the secret witnesses in the grand jury that indicted him on grand larceny and other charges.
"Mayor Bloomberg testified in the grand jury," Assistant District Attorney Eric Seidel said Tuesday. He declined to reveal any additional details about Bloomberg's testimony.
Haggerty allegedly created a ballot security firm to funnel Bloomberg's campaign money, but prosecutors claim it was a shell company that was not even established until a month after the election.
Lawyers for Haggerty argued prosecutors were compelled to investigate after news reports implicated Haggerty in a missing campaign funds scandal, but said there is not sufficient evidence to convict him.
In addition, Haggerty's lawyer said, Bloomberg never filed an official complaint against Haggerty.
"The victim in this case has never complained about [Haggerty], has never asked for his money back," defense lawyer Dennis Vacco said.
"I think that the DA's office got engaged in this case because they thought they were chasing something far different from that," he added.
Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Ronald Zweibel will not issue a ruling until March 14.
