NEW: High-Ranking Dem Lawmaker Charged In Jaw-Dropping Blackmail Scheme

Maryland State Sen. Dalya Attar — a Democrat who made headlines this year as the first Orthodox Jewish woman in the chamber — has been slapped with federal extortion and conspiracy charges. She was hauled in last week after a grand jury hit her with eight counts on Oct. 23.

Prosecutors say Attar, 35, didn’t just play rough politics — she allegedly went full spy-thriller, planting hidden cameras and trackers on two rivals, secretly recording them in bed together, and threatening to blow up their lives unless they kept quiet.

The indictment claims Attar targeted a political consultant she once worked with — and a married man — stashing cameras disguised as smoke detectors and slapping a tracker on a car. When the compromising footage rolled in, feds say she used it like a political weapon.

Her crew allegedly broke into an apartment in January 2020, rigged it with surveillance, and later demanded the sworn enemies “leave Dalya alone,” warning they’d blast the tape far and wide — including to “every Rabbi in town.”

Court docs say Attar feared the consultant was “looking to screw me” and fretted about her voting record being shared in the Jewish community. Instead, prosecutors say she tried to screw them first — by blackmail.

Two alleged co-conspirators — Joseph Attar and Baltimore police officer Kalman Finkelstein — were also busted, and four additional unnamed players are listed in the scheme.

By late 2021, as Attar eyed reelection, the heat allegedly intensified. On the same day she filed to run again, her brother reportedly reached out to the married man with an ominous “opportunity” and warned he had “hours” of bedroom footage at his fingertips.

The threat, prosecutors say, was to release the tape to “everyone you know, everyone she knows, every Rabbi in town, your kids, your wife, her daughters.”

Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson’s office tried to keep its distance, saying, “This is the first we have been made aware of state Senator Dayla Attar’s arrest and we don’t have any additional information to provide at this time.” He added, “The Senate of Maryland holds its members to the highest ethical standards.”

Attar, for her part, insists she’s innocent and painted the case as a hit job by a bitter ex-staffer.

“I ran for public office because of my strong belief in serving my community that I love, and I would never do anything to knowingly jeopardize my constituents’ trust in me,” she said. “The case centers on the allegations of my former disgruntled employee. We have yet to see any tangible evidence to support the claim that I knew of any illegal actions taken on my behalf.”

“I look forward to sharing my side of the story, and believe the truth will be the arbiter of justice. In the meantime, I will continue to serve my community with humility and honor, and look forward to being as transparent as possible.”

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