RUBEN TAKES NEW HIT
Goddaughter Godda testifies
The goddaughtegoddaughter of indicted Councilman Ruben Wills delivered a smoking gun for prosecutors on Tuesday, testifying she did campaign work for the Queens pol while bebeing improperly paid by his nonprofit. MicheMichelle Davis (inset bottom) told jurors in Queens Supreme Court that she had never heard of New York 4-Life, a taxpayer-funded nonprofit set up by Wills (inset top) — who allegedly used it for personal and campaign expenses. State prosecutors showed Davis two checkshk maded out to her — on Sept. 1, 2010 for $110 and Oct. 3, 2010 for $155 — from New York 4Life funds. Davis confirmed receiving and cashing those checks for campaign work she did for Wills. The Sept. 1 check had nothing in the memo field while the Oct. 3 draft said it was for “data entry obesity campaign.” Assistant attorney general Travis Hill asked Davis if she was ever an employee for New York 4-Life, ever did any work for that nonprofit, ever did data entry or ever worked an anti-obesity campaign. She answered “no” each time.
“I’ve never heard of New York 4Life,” said Davis, an Ozone Park, Queens, resident and student at La Guardia Community College. She is studying human resources.
Wills faces up to seven years behind bars if he is convicted of the top charge of grand larceny.
When the Queens Democrat set up New York 4Life, he said the taxpayer money would be used to help single parents, clean up streets and fight childhood obesity.
The nonprofit was started with $33,000 Wills secured from the New York State Office of Children Family Services.
Under cross-examination on Tuesday, defense lawyer Kevin O’Donnell implied that Davis did perform jobs tied to New York 4-Life, but she could not recall any such work.
Outside court, O’Donnell said Davis’ memory must be faulty.
“She clearly remembered the campaign work, but she didn’t remember the work that she cashed the checks for,” the defense lawyer said. “She doesn’t remember what she did to warrant getting paid for those checks.”
O’Donnell added: “She just forgot. It’s seven years ago.”
Before court, Wills said he was still confident he’d beat the rap.
“Nobody can say I stole anything,” Wills said. “Not one of them can say I did something wrong.”