Former Queens judges and prosecutors contribute thousands to Lasak’s campaign
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Retired Justice Gregory Lasak. Eagle file photo by Jonathan Sperling.
By David Brand
The fraternity among Queens judges and prosecutors seems to persist even in retirement, at least according to the campaign filings of Queens District Attorney candidate Greg Lasak.
Lasak served as a top official in the Queens DA’s Office, including a stint as Homicide Bureau chief. He was elected to the state Supreme Court bench in 2004 and served there until September 2018.
At least two retired Queens Supreme Court justices, Joseph Golia and Robert Kohm, have donated to Lasak’s campaign, as did the wife of Justice Michael Aloise, who inherited the high-profile Chanel Lewis case from Lasak after Lasak retired. Lewis was convicted at retrial of killing Howard Beach resident Karina Vetrano while she jogged near her home.
A map obtained by the Eagle plots all of the individual donations that Lasak has received.
Kohm, who retired in December 2018, donated $250 in April and another $75 in May, according to Lasak’s latest campaign finance report.
Golia, who retired in 2012, contributed $250 in January.
Aloise’s wife chipped in $250 on November 15, less than a week before Lewis’ first trial ended in a hung jury. She donated another $324 on Feb. 26.
Golia, Kohm, Aloise and Lasak all worked as assistant district attorneys in Queens, before rising to the bench.
Former Queens ADA Robert Aiello, a partner in criminal defense firm Aiello & Cannick, donated $8,068 in seven installments. Aiello & Cannick donated an additional $5,000. Aiello served in the Queens DA’s Homicide Trial Bureau, according to his LinkedIn profile.
Defense attorney Frank Kelly, another former Queens ADA, also donated a total of $1750 to Lasak.
Lasak’s campaign expenditures include a memo labeled “$632.44” for an Airbnb. Airbnb and other short-term rentals of less than 30 days are illegal in New York City unless the permanent tenant is residing in the building.
A Lasak campaign official said the primary occupant of the apartment was staying in the Queens home at the time of the rental.
