{"id":191469,"date":"2026-04-09T22:44:10","date_gmt":"2026-04-09T22:44:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/191469\/"},"modified":"2026-04-09T22:44:10","modified_gmt":"2026-04-09T22:44:10","slug":"nyc-council-member-hochul-aide-rally-with-supporters-to-decry-federal-bribery-probe-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/191469\/","title":{"rendered":"NYC Council Member, Hochul Aide Rally With Supporters to Decry Federal Bribery Probe"},"content":{"rendered":"

NEW YORK (AP) \u2014 Weeks after their homes were searched as part of a federal bribery investigation<\/a>, a New York City Council member and her sister, an aide to Gov. Kathy Hochul, appeared Thursday at a rally held by supporters that aimed to distance the pair from the unfolding scandal. <\/p>\n

Councilmember Farah Louis and her sister, Debbie Louis, have yet to publicly respond to the federal probe, which is looking at whether they accepted bribes in exchange for steering city funds to a shelter provider, according to a copy of a search warrant obtained by The Associated Press.<\/p>\n

The sisters again declined to comment Thursday, standing silently behind nearly a dozen clergymen who had gathered in a Brooklyn park to speak out against an inquiry they deemed \u201cbaseless\u201d and \u201csalacious.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThese are ladies of integrity, ladies who have given their all to this community,\u201d said Orlando Findlayter, a Brooklyn pastor. \u201cIf they want to investigate, let them investigate, but no one should rush to judgment.\u201d<\/p>\n

The sisters have not been charged with a crime or publicly accused of wrongdoing. Debbie Louis, an assistant secretary of New York City intergovernmental affairs for Hochul, was placed on leave after the governor\u2019s office learned of the investigation late last month.<\/p>\n

According to the search warrant, prosecutors are seeking information about whether the sisters received benefits in exchange for actions taken on behalf of BHRAGS Home Care Inc., a Brooklyn-based nonprofit that has received nearly $200 million in city contracts to open emergency shelters in recent years. <\/p>\n

The indictment accuses the subcontractors of paying bribes and kickbacks to BHRAGS in exchange for contracts worth millions, among other allegations. It does not mention the Louis sisters. <\/p>\n

A spokesperson for the U.S. attorney’s office in Brooklyn has declined to comment on the potential involvement of Farah and Debbie Louis in the investigation. <\/p>\n

\u201cPolitics is a dirty game,\u201d said Louis Straker, another Brooklyn pastor, earning murmurs of approval from his fellow clergy members. \u201cThere\u2019s a certain level of gamesmanship that you must navigate in order to get things done.\u201d<\/p>\n

Other religious leaders urged the City Council not to refer Farah Louis to the ethics committee. A spokesperson for the body did not respond to an inquiry about whether such a referral had been made. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s very, very traumatic for them,\u201d added Findlayter. \u201cBut the fact that they have not done anything wrong gives them some level of peace in the midst of the storm.\u201d <\/p>\n

Copyright 2026 The\u00a0Associated Press<\/a>. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.<\/p>\n

Photos You Should See \u2013 April 2026<\/p>\n

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