One Yonkers democrat emailed us that “Khader’s lawsuit highlights an ongoing investigation into
accusations of improper and possible criminal conduct on his behalf while he was Council President. That investigation continues and this lawsuit highlights the cloud that continues to hang over him.”
By Dan Murphy
Former Yonkers City Council President Mike Khader has been silent, and stayed out of Yonkers politics, since losing a democratic primary to the current Council President, Lakisha Collins-Bellamy last year. But recently, Khader has re- appeared in an online interview and with a defamaton lawsuit he filed against several political figures and online bloggers. But a review of Khader’s lawsuit finds that some of his key allegations are unfounded and most of the claims are being called “sour grapes and politically motivated.”
Khader filed the lawsuit against Hezi Aris, publisher of the online website-YonkersTribune.com, Mayor Mike Spano, Republican City Council President Ron Matten, and several others. Khader states that all of the named defendants “engaged in a conspiracy to intentionally and maliciously depirve his civil rights and damage his future candidacy for future office.”
The big name in Khader’s lawsuit is Mayor Mike Spano. Khader’s lawsuit claims that the Mayor and the Spano family rezoned an area in the Ludlow neighborhood of southwest Yonkers for personal gain.
But a simple review of the zoning map showed that the property owned by the Spano’s WAS NOT REZONED and is pictured above in purple.
Khader is also suing a former client, Hezi Aris. Khader represented Aris when Aris was sued by Yonkers PBA President Keith Olson and former YPD Commissioner John Mueller for defamation. In fact, Khader uses some of the same legal arguments that Olson used in his suit against Hezi, which remains ongoing.
Khader claims that Hezi defamed his character by allowing negative comments below stories on his website about Khader’s personal and family life. One of the comments was posted by Ron Matten, the republican candidate for City Council President last year.
But the comment that Matten made on the YonkersTribune relating to Khader was that the city council investigate the allegations made against Khader. Another post attributed to Matten was that Khader was using the law offices of Smith, Buss and Jacobs “for his law office and campaign headquarters.”
We contacted Matten for comment about being a named defendant and being accused of being part of a conspiracy against Khader. “I am accused of writing an article which my political opponent characterized as an unfavorable depiction. The reality is that I asked my opponent to defend himself ahead of his primary. My former opponent should review the definition of defamation as it applies to a political contest,” said Matten.
Khader appeared on Yonkers Voice on September 28. When asked about his political future, he said that “my time in public service is not done yet and I will be exploring all options,”
But the political mistake that Khader made in teasing out the possibility of running again with his recently filed lawsuit is that the allegations made against Khader are still the subject of an investigation by the Yonkers Inspector General, Liam McLaughlin.
McLaughlin, who served as Council President before losing to Khader, is also mentioned in Khader’s lawsuit. The suit calls the ongoing investigation a “sham” against Khader.
But the allegations against Khader, that he improperly used his office to benefit the law firm that he used office space for his law practice, remain open and unresolved. And those close to Khader admit that he cannot run for any office until those allegations, and the IG’s investigation, are concluded and Khader is cleared of any wrongdoing.
If the IG’s report comes back with a viable criminal allegaton, Khader could be the subject of Westchester District Attorney Mimi Rocah’s office.
Khader also briefly touches on two important facts in his lawsuit that are both damaging to his case and his political future.
First, that a majority on the City Council called for an investigation into the allegations against Khader, by former a former staff member, concerning fair and equal treatment of female employees in his office.
And, the Yonkers Democratic Party withdrew their endorsement of Khader once the allegations came out against him.
These two reasons, the lack of support from his fellow council members, and from the democratic party in Yonkers, were the reasons for Khader’s demise and his council presidency. They were political decisions, not defamation.
When News 12 reported on Khader’s lawsuit, Mayor Mike Spano sent in a comment which read, “The propery in question cannot be developed for residential purposes. The city remains committed to turning the rezoned property into a park, in the only neighborhood in the city that doesn’t have access to the Hudson river.”
Khader is seeking $7 Million in damages and is representing himself, Pro Se. One attorney we spoke to said about the lawsuit, “there’s a lot of accusations but little proof. He also highlights an ongoing investigation into his activities. If this is a political stunt its a bad one.”
