Wednesday, May 16, 2018
Shomrim patrol chief accused of raping teen linked to Brooklyn pol
The president of the Shomrim neighborhood patrol accused of raping a teenager also serves as the campaign treasurer for state Assemblyman Dov Hikind's handpicked successor, the Daily News has learned.
Jacob Daskal, 59, is the main money man for Simcha Eichenstein's bid to take over the Borough Park, Brooklyn district, according to state campaign finance records.
Last month, Hikind announced he was stepping down after more than three decades in office. He immediately endorsed Eichenstein, 34, the former director of political and governmental services for the de Blasio administration.
He's considered the front-runner for the coveted position, according to political insiders. The Democratic primary is in September and no challenger has surfaced yet.
Daskal was arrested last Thursday after detectives caught him implicating himself in a recorded call to his 15-year-old alleged victim, police said.
The head of the Orthodox Jewish private security patrol abused the teen between August and November 2017, authorities said. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Daskal, who has given campaign donations to multiple candidates over the past decade, is also a longtime member of Brooklyn's Community Board 12.
The board's district manager did not respond to requests for comment.
Eichenstein, who earned $114,070 in 2017 working for City Hall, has not indicated any plans to dump Daskal, who appears to remain popular despite the pending criminal case.
"Everyone is going with the assumption that the charges are false and he will be vindicated upon further investigation," said a political operative familiar with the community.
Eichenstein did not return calls seeking comment.
It remains unclear how much campaign cash he has raised. His campaign does not have to make its first public filing until July 15.
But he has been busy meeting with Hasidic rebbes and other power brokers to garner support. He boasts of support from the influential Bobov, Satmar, Ger, and Belz hasidic sects.
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