New York Rep. Michael Grimm Resigns After Pleading Guilty To Tax Evasion

Rep. Michael Grimm (R-NY) will resign from Congress after pleading guilty last week to a federal tax evasion charge.

The Staten Island Republican originally took a defiant stand, saying he would “absolutely not” be leaving office. But in a statement late Monday night, he reversed himself:

After much thought and prayer, I have made the very difficult decision to step down from Congress effective January 5th, 2015. The decision is made with a heavy heart, as I have enjoyed a very special relationship and closeness with my constituents, whom I care about deeply.

The change of plans reportedly came after speaking with House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) on Monday, according to the New York Daily News . But Boehner spokesman Michael Steel would not comment on their talk.

“We do not discuss private conversations the speaker has with members,” Steel said.

Grimm pleaded guilty last week to failing to report more than $1 million in revenue from Healthalicious, a Manhattan restaurant that he ran before being elected to Congress. Before the plea, his trial had been scheduled for February.

“The events which led to this day did not break my spirit, nor the will of the voters,” Grimm said in his statement. “However, I do not believe that I can continue to be 100% effective in the next Congress, and therefore, out of respect for the Office and the people I so proudly represent, it is time for me to start the next chapter of my life.”

He added that serving in Congress “has been an honor and a privilege.”

But just last week, Grimm said that it was up to “the people” to decide whether he should go because his crimes “happened before I was in Congress.” He won reelection handily in November with 55% of the vote. Salon ’s Blake Zeff says that “Grimm ran like the dickens for reelection to [keep his office as a] bargaining chip” in plea negotiations with prosecutors.

With Republicans assuming control of both houses of Congress in January it has been widely assumed that the speaker would not tolerate ethics distractions. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) called for Boehner to force Grimm’s resignation after his plea.

“Now that the election is over, Congressman Grimm is finally admitting the truth to his constituents,” she said in a statement last week. “Clearly, Speaker Boehner must insist that Congressman Grimm resign immediately.”

In a statement released by his office Tuesday, Boehner called Grimm’s decision “honorable.”

“I know it was made with the best interests of his constituents and the institution in mind, and I appreciate his years of service in the House,” the speaker said.

Before Grimm’s resignation and last week’s guilty plea, the 44-year-old former FBI agent faced a 20-count indictment to which he originally pleaded not guilty. Now he could face prison time when sentenced in June.

[photo credit: House Foreign Affairs Committee Republicans]

New York Rep. Michael Grimm Resigns After Pleading Guilty To Tax Evasion