New York, NY – Scandal-scarred John Liu defiantly brushed off criminal charges against one of his top fund-raisers — telling a crowd of supporters that he’s running for mayor in 2013.
Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
With federal investigators swarming his campaign operation, the city comptroller downplayed Wednesday’s arrest of Xing Wu “Oliver” Pan as merely an “unexpected challenge.”
“I want to run for the highest office in New York City,” Liu told 80 supporters at the Amber steakhouse in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, hours after Pan was arraigned on two federal wire-fraud charges for allegedly funneling thousands of dollars to Liu’s campaign war chest.
Liu’s declaration, ironically made at a fund-raiser, was reported in the Chinese-language World Journal.
“Of course, there will be many challenges, some expected, some unexpected, on the election road,” the comptroller said.
“I am very sad one of my supporters was arrested, and if the allegations are true, his behavior was wrong.”
Good luck running for mayor from Dannamora Correctional.
In many ways, Liu has shown himself to be good for NYC. And he has been outspoken for Jewish causes as well. VIN prints the Post’s story, but NY-ers need to give him a chance.