A Maryland state senator is denying allegations that she threatened to release highly compromising video of a former political consultant to keep her from making public comments about the senator.
Democratic state Sen. Dalya Attar was indicted on charges related to the alleged extortion plot that included her brother Joseph Attar as well as a Baltimore police officer named Kalman Finkelstein.
‘Stay out of this election, the delegate election, and make sure she doesn’t do anything against Dalya throughout this election … or I’ll share this video with everybody you know.’
The three defendants are accused of hiding audio and video recording equipment in the apartment of the consultant in order to gather evidence of her sexual relationship with a married man in 2022. Finkelstein’s family owned the apartment where the woman was living.
They then allegedly threatened to release the recorded evidence unless the two agreed to refrain from making negative statements about Dalya Attar in public. Attar was running for state House delegate at the time.
Prosecutors said that Joseph Attar said to the married man via messages on WhatsApp, “I have hours of footage of you in bed with (Victim 1). Here’s what I need you to do for this to go away permanently.”
Both Dalya Attar and the consultant are members of the Orthodox Jewish community.
“The only thing you need to do is very simple, is to go to (Victim 1) and say to her, ‘Listen, leave Dalya alone. Don’t bring her up anymore to anyone,'” Joseph Attar is accused of saying. “Stay out of this election, the delegate election, and make sure she doesn’t do anything against Dalya throughout this election … or I’ll share this video with everybody you know, everyone she knows, every rabbi in town, your kids, your wife, her daughters.”
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Dalya Attar released a statement denying the allegations.
“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,” she said.
“The 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,” Dalya Attar added. “I look forward to sharing my side of the story, and believe the truth will be the arbiter of justice.”
Dalya Attar was indicted on eight counts, including conspiracy, extortion via interstate communications, aiding and abetting, and interception and disclosure of a wire.
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Photo by Karl Merton Ferron/The Baltimore Sun/Tribune News Service via Getty Images
Finkelstein has been suspended since 2022, according to Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley.
“He has not had police powers since 2022,” Worley added. “We’re going to cooperate completely with the indictment.”
Dalya Attar represents Baltimore City and was appointed to fill a vacancy in the state Senate in January.
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