In a recent turn of events in Baltimore City, Maryland State Senator Dalya Attar, her brother Joseph "Yossi" Attar, and Baltimore City Police Officer Kalman Finkelstein declared their innocence yesterday in response to federal extortion and conspiracy charges. According to the indictment, the three are accused of devising a scheme to surreptitiously record a political consultant in a compromising situation, to prevent her from making negative remarks about Senator Attar.
As reported by Fox Baltimore, the alleged conspiracy seems to have begun in 2020, featuring a lurid detail where the political consultant was covertly filmed during an affair. It is asserted that the brother and Finkelstein broke into the apartment where she stayed, which was owned by Finkelstein's family, to plant disguised cameras and a tracking device. Attorney Jeff Ifrah, representing the senator, stated that they plan to promptly file a motion to dismiss the indictment by the due date of December 15.
Sen. Attar, in an attempt to establish the integrity of her public service, vehemently refuted the charges. "I ran for public office because of my strong belief in serving my community that I love, and I would never do anything to knowingly jeopardize my constituents’ trust in me," Sen. Attar said in a statement obtained by Fox Baltimore. Additionally, Patrick Seidel, not affiliated with the case but providing a legal perspective, noted that the gravity of the charges and potential outcomes range from severe consequences to possible plea agreements.
Meanwhile, WMAR-2 News shared excerpts from a WhatsApp chat, allegedly sent by Dalya Attar to an unnamed co-conspirator, that surfaced in the indictment. In a statement through her attorney, Attar reiterated her side, saying, "This case centers on the allegations of my former disgruntled employee. We have yet to see any tangible evidence to support the claim that I knew of any illegal actions taken on my behalf." Elected to represent a district with a significant Orthodox Jewish community, the senator’s plea not guilty aims to maintain her standing in the public eye as unblemished.
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