Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
City Councilman Gives DNA, Claims Innocence
By
Jen Chung
Published Jul 12, 2007
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Chung
Published Jul 12, 2007
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
City Councilman Dennis Gallagher gave a DNA sample as the NYPD investigates claims that the Queens Republican raped a woman at his Kew Gardens office on Sunday.
A woman that Gallagher met at Danny Boy's pub (he's described as a "heavy social drinker" by some colleagues, according to the Daily News) alleges that he brought her back to his office and sexually assaulted her. The police raided his office on Monday but have not pressed charges yet.
Gallagher's lawyer Stephen Mahler told reporters, "Of course, he is embarrassed by this. Who wouldn't be? But I definitely think this will turn out in his favor." Mahler also emphasized that his client was innocent and invoked another scandal, "He thinks this is sort of comparable to the Duke situation, where everybody runs with the ball and you become the victim of the publicity rather than the facts of the case."
Other City Council members were shocked, but Robert Holden, president of the Juniper Park Civic Association, who saw the police raid told the Times, "I would say that he is not fit for public office and probably never was. He is known for dominating people." The Times-Ledger was kind enough to explain that the Juniper Park Civic Association is no fan of Gallagher's after he did not reappoint a JPCA member to the community board.
Tagged
But I
city
City Council
City Councilman
crime
daily news
Dennis Gallagher
Juniper Park Civic Association
kew gardens
news
nypd
people
police
publicity
queens
republican
The Police
the times
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Holy civics! NYC schools' own comic books in the spotlight at Comic Con
Comic Con continues through Sunday.
By
Jessica Gould
Published Oct 10, 2026 at 8:00 a.m. ET
What we know about the ICE shooting in NYC
A federal immigration agent shot a Dominican immigrant in the neck in Marble Hill Thursday night.
By
Karen Yi
News
What we know about the ICE shooting in NYC
A federal immigration agent shot a Dominican immigrant in the neck in Marble Hill Thursday night.
By
Karen Yi
DSA to Mamdani: Fire NYPD commissioner if ICE doesn't leave NYC
By
Elizabeth Kim
,
Brigid Bergin
and
Ben Feuerherd
Two people killed in Bronx vehicle crash
By
Kaya Laterman
NY will opt in Trump’s school choice program, Hochul says
By
Jon Campbell
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .