Civil Strife on SI: Molinaro Slams Donovan

The only sort-of competitive race in the city got a little more interesting when Jim Molinaro placed this full-page $7,000 ad Jim Molinaro in the Staten Island Advance yesterday, slamming District Attorney Dan Donovan for not going easier on Molinaro’s grandson, who was recently sentenced to five years in jail.

Donovan, who used to work for Molinaro, recused himself and a prosecutor from Manhattan handled the case.

I’m reading Tom Wrobleski’s reporting on this, but it seem like Molinaro is accusing Donovan of not showing the kind of prosecutorial favoritism that gets most DA’s in trouble.

Either way, all this is coming just two weeks before Donovan, a Republican, faces voters in a general election.

Whether or not Donovan wins, more Molinaro ads may be coming. Referring to his grandson, Molinaro said in the ad, "I am committed to proving this young man is innocent. I will dedicate the rest of my life to proving it."

UPDATE: Here is a clip of radio hosts Curtis Sliwa and Ron Kuby, who chimed in on the story this morning. Sliwa says "Why didn't he just
eliminate all those words and just say, 'Donovan, I thought you were my friend. You were my deputy borough president. You should have
thrown the case in the direction of my nephew.'" [It's actually Molinaro's grandson.]

Kuby , also in mock imitation of Molinaro, says, "I elected you to be corrupt."