Deadbeat Dems Stiff the Children

Considering how Democrats so love to exploit children for cheap political gain, you'd think they'd know better than stiff kids of charity money. But hey, these are New York Democrats we're talking about, so ethics no longer apply.

They stiffed Queens kids, too.

More than $400,000 raised by a nonprofit started by Congressman Gregory Meeks and state Sen. Malcolm Smith was never given to the community they represent, including a youth football league that requested a donation, a Post investigation has found.

The Rosedale Jets Football Association went hat in hand to the New Direction Local Development Corp., hoping for a piece of a $250,000 grant that was to go to community groups.

The Jets dutifully submitted an application, hoping to get up to $25,000 to fix up their field. They never got a cent.

"They said they never received our application," said Gerald Karikari, an immigration lawyer and the football team's chief financial officer.

Karikari said the Rosedale Jets, a squad that mixes football and cheerleading with life lessons for 200 kids ages 7 to 13, is always struggling. It had to stop low-cost equipment rentals to players because it could not pay for refurbishing the helmets and protective pads.

Instead of helping the plucky pee-wee players, New Direction spent $405,000 on salaries, mysterious consultants, office expenses and meals, according to paperwork filed by the nonprofit. By 2008, $55,254 was left sitting in its bank account, untouched.

The Post has reported how the charity started by Meeks and Smith, both Queens Democrats, raised at least $31,000 for Hurricane Katrina victims but gave out hardly any of that money.

Here's Meeks in the middle flanked by those paragons of virtue Charles Rangel and Al Sharpton at a meeting in Harlem yesterday.

It seems they answer to Sharpton before anyone else.

It was a Harlem "leadership summit" to discuss an agenda for the rest of Gov. Paterson's lame-duck term. Except the governor wasn't even invited.

Embattled Reps. Charles Rangel and Gregory Meeks and state Sen. Malcolm Smith were gang-grim for the cameras yesterday as they assembled at Sylvia's restaurant at the request of the Rev. Al Sharpton.

Paterson remained holed up in his Harlem apartment a few blocks away.

"The purpose of this meeting was to focus on policy and priorities. We want to take the focus off of Governor Paterson and put it back on the priorities. For one, we're definitely focusing in on the budget," Sharpton said in a brief statement before the press was ushered out of the room.

Seems to me their priorities are flouting the law and stiffing charities. They've got the perfect role model in Sharpton.