Judge leaves trial date open for Attar blackmail case
Defense attorneys seek to exclude digital evidence in the case against the former state senator, her brother, and a suspended police officer.
By Mariana Flores ·
U.S. District Judge Stephanie Gallagher left the trial date for the federal blackmail case involving former Maryland state Sen. Dalya Attar undecided on Friday.
The legal dispute began in late 2024 when a federal grand jury indicted Attar, her brother Joseph Attar, and Kalman Finkelstein. Prosecutors accused the three of conspiring to record a political consultant in a private setting and using that recording to pressure him out of a 2022 state legislative race. The defendants have maintained their innocence throughout the proceedings.
Attar first entered the state House of Delegates in 2018, representing District 41 as the first Orthodox Jewish woman elected to the Maryland legislature. After serving as an assistant state’s attorney, she moved to the state Senate in 2025. The Baltimore City Democratic State Central Committee nominated her to fill the vacancy left by Jill Carter, who resigned to join the State Board of Contract Appeals. However, Malcolm Ruff defeated Attar in the Democratic primary this past June. Ruff won the general election unopposed, representing a district that includes Pimlico, Park Heights, Edmondson Village, Mount Washington, and Roland Park.
In this week's hearing, defense counsel argued that the judge should prevent the government from using evidence gathered from the defendants' cellphones and online accounts. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Phelps proposed that the parties discuss scheduling to prevent the trial from slipping into 2028. Gregg Bernstein, an attorney for Joseph Attar, countered that such discussions were premature because the court had not yet ruled on the admissibility of the digital evidence.
Gallagher previously dismissed several charges in the indictment, including extortion. The three defendants remain charged with conspiracy and the interception and disclosure of wire, oral, or electronic communication. Finkelstein, a Baltimore police officer, is currently suspended without pay while the case proceeds. Gallagher ordered the defense to file additional legal briefs within one week. She did not issue a decision on the motion to suppress evidence during the Friday session.
The next step in the case involves the submission of those new briefs to the court. The judge will review the arguments regarding the digital evidence before making a ruling that could determine the timeline for the trial.
