![Nancy Pelosi [L] and Michael McMahon [R]](https://nynewspress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Pelosi-McMahon.jpg)
By Frankie Pressman
Staten Island District Attorney Michael McMahon is under fire after filing a criminal complaint claiming he feared for his life over a Substack newsletter. The July 13 email, distributed by Substack, was sent to over 33,000 subscribers and didn’t even mention McMahon, but he blames investigative journalist Richard Luthmann.
The newsletter is titled This is For Real and included a piece by renowned psychiatrist Dr. Bandy Lee, addressing family court corruption—not McMahon. According to FL Gulf News, the mass email had no violent language and contained a clear unsubscribe link.
Luthmann denies any wrongdoing.
Yet, McMahon, in a sworn NYPD complaint, stated that he “feared for his safety and life,” raising concerns about the integrity of his report. The complaint alleges Luthmann violated a 2018 protective order, but no record shows Luthmann was ever present in court or properly served.
Observers say the Substack post is protected under the First Amendment. Luthmann, editor of The Family Court Circus, is a conservative journalist and former attorney. He has covered McMahon’s misconduct for years.
The DA’s report describes Luthmann as a “stranger,” but their feud dates back to 2015, when Luthmann exposed fraudulent ballot signatures submitted by McMahon’s campaign. At the time, Luthmann published a satirical Facebook page mocking McMahon and his allies as the “Irish Mafia.”
McMahon has a long political history and was accused of using dead voters on his petitions. In 2017, Luthmann also uncovered that Judge Judith McMahon—Michael’s wife—was involved in a secretive narcotics court scheme called Part N.
That explosive revelation led to Judge McMahon’s demotion and the dismantling of Part N, as documented by The Frank Report.
But retaliation soon followed. In 2018, McMahon initiated a felony case against Luthmann, accusing him of impersonation for his satire. The first special prosecutor declined to prosecute, but McMahon then hand-picked another who filed charges.
At the same time, federal prosecutors charged Luthmann in a separate matter, relying on an informant later exposed by Frank Parlato as Wall Street fraudster Guy Cardinale (aka Frank Rossi).
Luthmann alleges that Cardinale was planted by McMahon allies through court officer union boss Dennis Quirk and lawyer Bruce Baron.
The resulting pressure forced Luthmann into plea deals.
After four years in federal prison, Luthmann rebuilt his life as a journalist in Florida. He now writes regularly for FL Gulf News, NY News Press, and The Family Court Circus.
Critics say the current felony charge is designed to provoke extradition and force Luthmann through “diesel therapy”, a brutal prison transport system. This tactic could cost him months of freedom, even if the case is eventually dropped.
Observers call it “punishment by process,” an unconstitutional abuse of power. Legal experts argue that McMahon may have committed serious dishonesty and perjury.
Federal sources say a criminal referral has been prepared for FBI Director Kash Patel, as pressure mounts for accountability. Patel, a Trump ally, is expected to take a harder stance on politicized prosecutions.
Frank Parlato—a longtime Trump media ally—is doing a deep dive into McMahon’s misconduct. Parlato’s publications have amplified national attention on many scandals, and this one is next.
President Trump himself has shared Parlato’s articles on Truth Social, bringing broader visibility to the issue. McMahon’s critics say he’s now under scrutiny from multiple federal agencies.
Parlato has also covered New York Attorney General Letitia James for weaponizing the law for political gain—part of a pattern Luthmann’s defenders say extends to McMahon.
For now, McMahon remains in office and has made no public comment on the perjury allegations. But Luthmann says he’s ready for a legal battle and has already filed federal legal notices in Florida.
If federal charges are filed, McMahon could face prison under federal civil rights laws, including 18 U.S.C. §§ 242 and 1519.
What began as a false complaint over a harmless email may now end with one of New York’s top prosecutors under federal indictment.
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