Grimm adds ex-girlfriend’s attorney to legal team

Indicted Rep. Michael Grimm (R-N.Y.), fresh off a decisive reelection win, added the attorney who represented his ex-girlfriend in her campaign finance violation case to his own legal team.

{mosads}Stuart Kaplan, according to court documents filed Wednesday, will be representing Grimm as he faces indictment on 20 counts, including tax evasion, fraud and perjury related to a health food restaurant he once owned. The case is headed to court in February.

Kaplan worked with Grimm in the FBI’s New York office. He represented Dianna Durand, the close friend of Grimm who has been described as his ex-girlfriend and who pleaded guilty to funneling thousands of dollars of illegal campaign contributions to Grimm in September. The congressman was not implicated in that scheme, and Kaplan said Wednesday he didn’t believe representing both was a conflict of interest.

“There is no likelihood for her being a witness for or against him,” he said.

When Grimm was indicted last spring, most Democrats expected a win in the Staten Island swing district, but Grimm defeated Democrat Domenic Recchia by 13 points on Tuesday.

Still, many speculate Democrats may have another shot at the seat sooner than 2016, if Grimm is convicted and sentenced with jail time. He’s said he would resign from office in that case, sparking a special election.