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Former NYS Speaker Sheldon Silver guilty of all 7 corruption charges in twin kickback schemes
New York Daily News ^ | 11/30/2015 | Stephen Rex Brown

Posted on 11/30/2015 1:37:07 PM PST by SeekAndFind

Sheldon Silver has gone from one of Albany's famed "three men in a room" to one of 198,000 people in federal lockup.

A jury found the 71-year-old former Assembly Speaker guilty on all seven corruption charges Tuesday, sending a powerful message to politicians in New York's capital.

Judge Valerie Caproni will set the date of his surrender. He faces a maximum of 130 years behind bars, though he is expected to face a sentence more in the range of 20 years.

The verdict is a major victory for Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, who slammed Albany as "a cauldron of corruption" when he announced charges against the Lower East Side democrat in January.

"Today, Sheldon Silver got justice, and at long last, so did the people of New York," the U.S. Attorney's office said in a statement after the verdict was revealed.

Over three weeks the government presented ample evidence of Silver's efforts to conceal twin corruption schemes that earned him $4 million.

Silver, the former state Assembly Speaker, was accused of two separate schemes. In the first, prosecutors said he secretly directed $500,000 in state money to Columbia University Dr. Robert Taub's mesothelioma research. The decorated doctor testified that he gave Silver leads on his patients who were suffering from the deadly effects of asbestos exposure. The Lower East Side democrat then directed those patients to the firm Weitz & Luxenberg, which paid Silver $3 million in referral fees.

(Excerpt) Read more at nydailynews.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; News/Current Events; US: New York
KEYWORDS: albany; corruption; newyork; sheldonsilver; stephenrexbrown
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1 posted on 11/30/2015 1:37:07 PM PST by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

Good. Now who in NY cesspool is next?


2 posted on 11/30/2015 1:41:05 PM PST by MileHi (Liberalism is an ideology of parasites, hypocrites, grievance mongers, victims, and control freaks.)
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To: MileHi

wonder which party he belonged to ... or perhaps he was an independent


3 posted on 11/30/2015 1:42:42 PM PST by bob_esb
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To: MileHi

RE: Good. Now who in NY cesspool is next?

The Republican ex-senate majority leader, Dean Skelos. He has been charged with an influence peddling scheme which he concocted with his son, Adam.

Skelos was arrested on federal corruption charges on May 4, 2015, including “conspiracy, extortion, and solicitation of bribes” according to the New York Times.

The charges deal with the awarding of a $12 million contract to a company that hired his son. Investigators allegedly caught him on wiretaps boasting of his power. His son, Adam Skelos, was also charged in the case.

Skelos vacated his post as Senate Majority Leader on May 11, 2015, a week after being charged.


4 posted on 11/30/2015 1:45:03 PM PST by SeekAndFind
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To: bob_esb
ROTFLMAO at your question, as though we didn't know.
5 posted on 11/30/2015 1:45:57 PM PST by SandRat (Duty - Honor - Country! What else needs said?)
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To: bob_esb

RE: wonder which party he belonged to ... or perhaps he was an independent

He’s a life long Democrat. But that does not mean Republicans cannot be corrupt. See Post #4 above.


6 posted on 11/30/2015 1:45:59 PM PST by SeekAndFind
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To: MileHi

Two down, and the last one is Princess Andrew.


7 posted on 11/30/2015 1:47:23 PM PST by Ouderkirk (To the left, everything must evidence that this or that strand of leftist theory is true)
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To: SeekAndFind

WOW I didn’t think New York had it in them....WTG people...he was the biggest slime ball ever!!!


8 posted on 11/30/2015 1:50:20 PM PST by HarleyLady27 (I have such happy days, I hope you do too!!!)
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To: SeekAndFind

Prince Andrew of Albany must be puking on his shoes.Shelly will give up EVERYBODY and so will Skelos the Republican who will be convicted later this week. This is a great day for New York and America’s sense of justice!


9 posted on 11/30/2015 1:51:05 PM PST by jmaroneps37 (Conservatism is truth. Liberalism is lies.)
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To: SeekAndFind

I still don’t understand the Obama Justice Department going after a Democrat icon politician in NYS, but they did?????


10 posted on 11/30/2015 1:52:07 PM PST by Nextrush (FREEDOM IS EVERYBODY'S BUSINESS, REMEMBER PASTOR NIEMOLLER)
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To: SeekAndFind

Retired to Club Fed. General Pop. at Attica would have been more fitting.


11 posted on 11/30/2015 1:53:34 PM PST by ozzymandus
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To: Nextrush

It is to get rid of the corrupt SOB, so they can install their own corrupt SOB to get the money involved.


12 posted on 11/30/2015 1:54:28 PM PST by exit82 ("The Taliban is on the inside of the building" E. Nordstrom 10-10-12)
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To: MileHi

Start with Skelos and his despicable son. then Cuomo and then the rest of the legislature and executive. The state should be put into receivership, have new elections called and deny any current state or municipal elected or appointed official the right to run. The state’s voters should be presented a constitutional amendment adjusting the legislative term limits for assembly and senate to no more than eight years service total, not consecutive. Pay should be raised including the cost of housing in Albany and no outside income of any kind to be allowed. No relatives by blood or marriage of any member of the legislature or elected executive office holders may be employed by any department of state or local government, unless that employment predates election. If so then the employee may not receive any job promotion other than by competitive civil service exam as long as his relative holds office. No relative of any elected govt ofiicial may do business with the state govt as long as the official remains in office.


13 posted on 11/30/2015 1:55:00 PM PST by xkaydet65
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To: HarleyLady27

The tip of the iceberg.


14 posted on 11/30/2015 1:55:05 PM PST by dfwgator
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To: ozzymandus

Or Rikers.


15 posted on 11/30/2015 1:55:30 PM PST by dfwgator
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To: Nextrush

RE: I still don’t understand the Obama Justice Department going after a Democrat icon politician in NYS, but they did?????

The prosecutor is the Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, does he report to Loretta Lynch? I think he answers only to the State of New York.


16 posted on 11/30/2015 1:56:10 PM PST by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

Are so many NYers on the take that these criminals keep getting reelected or is it that NYers are generally sheep who are used to getting sheared and don’t mind mind being governed by crooks? Or is it a combination of these two factors?

Seems like the whole northeast has this same mentality, as well.


17 posted on 11/30/2015 2:07:19 PM PST by bkopto
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To: SeekAndFind

Yes. He works for the U.S. Justice Dept. That’s not a state position.


18 posted on 11/30/2015 2:08:54 PM PST by fieldmarshaldj (Resist We Much)
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To: SeekAndFind
"The verdict is a major victory for Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara"

I think as US Attorney he works for the DOJ and therefore Loretta Lynch -- but mainly he works for Preet Bharara.

I've heard that he doesn't like Cuomo, having been treated badly in what he feels is a racist manner when they worked together. So I don't think he would feel inhibited going after him. Here's hoping that Sheldon Silver delivers them all on a silver platter!

19 posted on 11/30/2015 2:12:50 PM PST by Sooth2222 ("In a democracy, the people get the government they deserve." - Alexis de Tocqueville (1805-1859))
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To: SeekAndFind
I still don’t understand the Obama Justice Department going after a Democrat icon politician in NYS, but they did?????

The Democrat Assembly Speaker has been convicted of corruption, the Republican Senate Majority Leader will soon be convicted on very strong evidence.

That leaves Democrat Governor Andrew Cuomo in a strong position.

He had to deal with Silver and de Blasio before in trying to run the NYS Democrats.

He now has a chance to control the Senate, and be a kingmaker in the Assembly.

All he needs to do is find a candidate to unseat de Blasio in the NYC mayoral primary, and he controls the state executive and legislature.

20 posted on 11/30/2015 2:20:37 PM PST by wideawake
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