Exposed??

GOP operative asks judge to delay trial until after elections

By Rich Calder

Claiming key GOP campaign strategies could be “exposed” before this year’s gubernatorial and legislative races, a Queens Republican operative wants his federal corruption trial delayed until after November’s elections.

Former Queens Republican Vice Chairman Vincent Tabone — who is accused of pocketing $25,000 as part of a failed scheme to get state Sen. Malcolm Smith (D-Queens) on the 2012 GOP line for mayor — has filed papers asking White Plains federal Judge Kenneth Karas to delay a June 2 trial set for Tabone, Smith and other co-defendants until at least December.

He claims state GOP candidates seeking office could be “unfairly” undermined if the request isn’t granted by Karas, a Republican appointed to the federal bench in 2003 by George W. Bush.

“The necessary witnesses to such a trial may include the Republican Party chairmen of the state and county Republican committees in New York,” Tabone’s lawyer, Deborah Misir, wrote Saturday in a letter to Karas. “Subjecting the Republican Party, its officials and internal political strategies to intense scrutiny, while sparing the Democratic Party, would unfairly undermine Republican Party candidates in the general election.

“Questioning of party official witnesses will directly impact federal and state elections being held in New York by selectively exposing Republican Party strategy, the negotiation of cross-party endorsements for Republican candidates,” she added. “In short, it could devolve into a political circus aimed at the Republican Party and its federal and state candidates.”

Political stakes are high in New York this year with elections upcoming for governor, attorney general and Senate and Assembly seats. There are also federal elections for all of New York’s 27 seats in Congress.

Tabone’s request for a trial delay comes two weeks after Smith made a similar request. He asked the trial be pushed back until at least October, so it would not affect him running for re-election in the Democratic primary. Smith’s Senate district is predominantly Democratic, so a primary victory means a likely win in the general election, too.

The feds oppose pushing the trial back.