Summary: New York has seen another Senate member convicted on corruption charges just weeks apart as prosecutors are coming down hard on the financial statements of politicians.
Just weeks after Sheldon Silver, longtime Assembly Speaker and Manhattan democrat, was convicted on federal corruption charges, colleague Dean Skelos finds himself in the same place. Skelos, once the majority leader for the New York Senate, and his son, Adam Skelos, were found guilty of federal corruption charges.
A Manhattan Federal District Court jury found the two guilty after only eight hours over two days to make the decision. The two men are guilty of eight counts of bribery, extortion, and conspiracy.
The story behind their downfall came down to the simple fact that a father will do anything for his son. Using Dean Skelos high position, they pressured an environmental technology company, a medical malpractice insurer, and a Manhattan developer to give Adam Skelos around $300,000 in consultation work and a direct payment of $20,000. Dean Skelos had control over legislation that the companies relied on.
Dean Skelos was regarded as one of the most powerful men in the state until his arrest shocked everyone this year. He had been involved with the State Legislature for over thirty years making the conviction a big win for the United States attorney for the Southern District of New York, Preet Bharara.
Bharara’s team has cracked down on corrupt politicians, gaining convictions from 11 legislators in just six years. Soon after the verdict was read, Bharara’s Twitter account posted, “How many prosecutions will it take before Albany gives the people of New York the honest government they deserve?”
The two men will now face the sentencing face of their case, with each man facing a maximum of 20 years in prison on each charge of fraud and extortion charges plus ten years for each charge of bribe solicitation.
Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/12/nyregion/dean-skelos-adam-skelos-guilty-corruption-trial.html?_r=0
Photo: nytimes.com
