It's time for Legislator Denenberg to step down

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In ordinary circumstances, the usual standard that a person is innocent until proven guilty is an absolute in this country’s judicial system, except when the facts or evidence surrounding the case are so overwhelming that there is no question that the accused committed a crime. An example of this would be if the defendant had been caught on video committing a criminal act.

In the case of David Denenberg, Nassau County legislator from Merrick, the allegations and facts presented in a lawsuit by the law firm that employed him, Davidoff Hutcher & Citron, are so overwhelming and compelling that unless Denenberg comes out and states publicly that the allegations being made against him are untrue, he should resign from the Legislature.

Denenberg is accused of stealing more than $2 million from one of the firm’s clients. According to legal documents, Denenberg billed Systemax Inc. $2.3 million for nonexistent work. He also put in for $800,000 in allegedly fictional expenses for out-of-town court appearances that never occurred. In an effort to validate these fake appearances, he drafted false court orders and even forged the signatures of two U.S. District Court judges on court documents.

That’s right, not only did he steal by overbilling, according to the suit, but he actually created phony cases, and on at least two occasions forged the order of a federal judge. It has been weeks since the allegations were made, and still Denenberg has failed to even answer the basic question of whether or not he forged those signatures on phony court orders.

He claims that the allegations made against him are political. That’s ridiculous. Denenberg’s former firm is headed by many prominent Democrats. What would be their political motive?

In fact, I happen to know many of the partners at Davidoff Hutcher & Citron, and they are honorable, decent people who would never fabricate criminal charges — or release a statement describing Denenberg as a “criminal mastermind still inexcusably running for public office” — unless it was the truth.

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