Queens man jailed for corruption is running for both State Assembly and Senate
/
Albert Baldeo, a Richmond Hill man formerly imprisoned on corruption charges, is running for two elected offices this year. Photo via Baldeo’s campaign
By Jacob Kaye
State Senate or Assembly? That is the question. For candidates like Queens’ Albert Baldeo, the answer is both.
Baldeo, a Richmond Hill man who was convicted on corruption charges over a decade ago, is challenging two long-time elected officials in both the upcoming June 28 primary, where voters will cast ballots for statewide offices, Assembly seats and party positions, and the Aug. 23 primary, where voters will cast ballots for State Senate and congressional races.
On Tuesday, Bladeo will challenge incumbent David Weprin in the race to represent Assembly District 24. About two months later, he’ll face off against incumbent Joe Addabbo to represent Senate District 15.
It may seem wrong for one person to run for two offices in the same election season but because of New York’s bifurcated primary elections this year, it’s totally legal, though relatively unusual.
Judicial precedent was set in 2018, when Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney decided to run for reelection and also for a shot at the state attorney general’s office – at the time, New York’s primaries were split. After losing the attorney general’s race to now-AG Letitia James, he ran for his fourth term in Congress and won.
New York’s primaries were split this year after the Court of Appeals ruled that the state’s recently drawn Senate and congressional electoral districts were unconstitutional.
In order to allow the special master appointed by the court time to redraw the maps and to allow candidates to adjust to the shifting districts, the Board of Elections moved the primary from June to August.
But rather than lump the statewide, Assembly, judicial and party position races with the Senate and congressional races, the BOE kept the date as is, splitting the primary and allowing candidates like Baldeo to run for two different offices in a two month time period.
Should Baldeo win, he’d have a short window of time to remove his name from the ballot for the Senate seat.
Baldeo isn’t a stranger to running for office. In 2010, he ran for City Council and lost to former Councilmember Ruben Willis, who would also later go on to face corruption charges.
In 2014, Baldeo was convicted of attempting to interfere in an FBI investigation into whether or not his campaign used straw donors to fund his City Council run. Though he was acquitted of the straw donor charges, he was found guilty of telling the straw donors to lie to investigators, according to prosecutors.
He was later sentenced to 18 months in prison and had his ability to practice law in New York revoked.
Baldeo did not respond to requests for comment for this story.
Baldeo’s campaign website only indicates that he is running for a seat on the State Assembly.
His website also includes a number of supportive quotes from respected figures including President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, a number of local newspapers and the New York Times. Though they may appear to be endorsements, they are not.
A Google search of the quote from the New York Times yields only one result – a link to Baldeo’s website.
The website also includes a quote from Rep. Gregory Meeks, who leads the Queens County Democratic Party. Both Meeks and the party organization have endorsed Weprin in the race.
A quote from Rep. Gregory Meeks on Albert Baldeo’s website. Meeks has endorsed Baldeo’s opponent in the race, Assemblymember David Weprin. Photo via Baldeo’s website
Baldeo has made a number of runs for office since getting out of prison. He challenged Weprin in 2020, telling the Queens Chronicle that his “past incidents of the law represent the injustice that needs to be reformed ... I’m a better leader for it.”
“People see me as a champion because of how I rose against the injustice,” he told the publication. “I’m a leading light and have overcome evil ... I’m equipped to fight and I can certainly fight for others.”
In addition to his Senate and Assembly races, Baldeo is also running for district leader, again challenging Weprin, in the June 28 primary.
