[Corruption In NY]: Eric Adams' Horrible, No Good, Terrible, Very Bad Corruption Scheme

AngelHedgie

So, the Gray Lady is reporting that Speaker of the NYS Legislature Sheldon Silver has been arrested on federal corruption charges.

As Charlie Pierce put it, this is a "serious Holy Fking Hell moment":

The Wall Street Journal reports that in addition to his $121,000 salary as speaker, Silver earned $650,000 to $750,000 from outside legal work in 2013, according to the last financial disclosure form he filed with the state. Sources say federal investigators have been looking at Silver's income from Goldberg & Iryami, a small Manhattan firm that specializes in seeking reductions in city real-estate taxes. He did not report any work with that firm on his financial disclosure form, but a source told the Times he's received "substantial" payments over several years. Silver claims he discloses all of his income, as required, but has said little about the current federal investigation.

For people not acquainted with the neo-Roman nature of NYS politics, Silver is the most enduring member of the triumvirate that ultimately runs this state. The man was a long term institutional power in NY when I last lived there - over a decade ago. Him going down like this is a serious fucking story, and it has to have Cuomo the Lesser looking for some brown pants.

AngelHedgie

Also, New York Magazine has background on the investigation and charges.

Yall

Sad that it wasn't 10 years sooner.

Seriously, I don't think any moderately informed New Yorker didn't know that Silver was a bastard.

Albany is the epitome of corrupt government.

Daedalus

I was about to say that he should share a cell with Joe Bruno, but apparently they let Bruno out since I left NY and stopped paying attention.

AngelHedgie

Oh, and apparently the investigation that nailed Silver came out of the Moreland Commission records that the DoJ seized.

So this also fucks over Cuomo the Lesser.

archivistkitsune

So besides fucking over Cuomo, does this event have any other implications for national politics? Like maybe forcing people to admit that there is too much money in US politics and has a very corrupting influence? Or will this likely end at just sparing the US from having to deal with Cuomo campaigning for the Democratic nomination?

I know this will certainly have quite the impact on New York.

AngelHedgie

Mill wrote: »

So besides fucking over Cuomo, does this event have any other implications for national politics? Like maybe forcing people to admit that there is too much money in US politics and has a very corrupting influence? Or will this likely end at just sparing the US from having to deal with Cuomo campaigning for the Democratic nomination?

I know this will certainly have quite the impact on New York.

In terms of things we can absolutely point to, the biggest point nationally is that this pretty much kills Cuomo the Lesser's future ambitions. But the thing to remember is that this is really on the same level as the arrest of Tweed and the collapse of Tammany Hall - Silver was that powerful and that dominating in NY politics. (That comment about the state being run by a triumvirate wasn't a joke.) This is very much the end of an era in Albany, and I'm not sure what the repercussions of that are.

AngelHedgie

So, more from the Grey Lady: seems Silver was getting kickbacks on asbestos cases:

With a reputation as a devoted clinician intent on trying out innovative therapies, Dr. Taub is something of a hero in the world of mesothelioma, a devastating cancer that is nearly always fatal. Specializing in abdominal cases, a particularly horrific form of the disease, Dr. Taub, 78, attracted last-chance patients from across the country and the world.

The balding, bow-tied oncologist would then seem to be the unlikeliest of candidates to become caught up in a criminal scheme that may lead to the downfall of Mr. Silver, the longtime speaker of the New York State Assembly and one of the state’s most powerful politicians.

Dr. Taub, however, was obsessive about raising money for mesothelioma research, according to current and former colleagues.

That, it turns out, helped set off the extraordinary chain of events that culminated with Mr. Silver surrendering to federal agents on Thursday and the doctor losing his post on Friday. Prosecutors say Dr. Taub referred his patients to a law firm that employed Mr. Silver, enabling him to garner millions. In exchange, Mr. Silver secretly directed state money to the doctor’s center.

DevoutlyApathetic

AngelHedgie wrote: »

Oh, and apparently the investigation that nailed Silver came out of the Moreland Commission records that the DoJ seized.

So this also fucks over Cuomo the Lesser.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.

That is hilarious.

Edit: For those watching at home the Moreland Commission was set up by Cuomo to investigate corruption in state government. Cuomo shut it down as part of a political deal with the legislator (half of which was headed by Silver...) this past summer. Of course, he did this after telling them not to investigate people close to him and kinda making them a joke anyways. That is gonna play so well with people if Silver gets convicted.

AngelHedgie

Buzzfeed has a profile of US Attorney Preet Bharara, the man who went after Silver. One of the better parts:

Preet Bharara stood out first not for his early prosecutions of bankers and local pols — aggressive, but not unusual for an office with an aggressive tradition — but for his rather edgy sense of humor. It was the summer of 2013, and Preet was the guest of honor at Delivering Alpha, a tony gathering of hedge fund managers.

“You told me there were going to be a lot of people here from the hedge fund industry,” Bharara told the room full of suits. “I just want to apologize in advance that I don’t have enough subpoenas for all of you.”

Pause for nervous laughter.

“Obviously, I’m kidding. I do have enough.”

Fencingsax

AngelHedgie wrote: »

Buzzfeed has a profile of US Attorney Preet Bharara, the man who went after Silver. One of the better parts:

Preet Bharara stood out first not for his early prosecutions of bankers and local pols — aggressive, but not unusual for an office with an aggressive tradition — but for his rather edgy sense of humor. It was the summer of 2013, and Preet was the guest of honor at Delivering Alpha, a tony gathering of hedge fund managers.

“You told me there were going to be a lot of people here from the hedge fund industry,” Bharara told the room full of suits. “I just want to apologize in advance that I don’t have enough subpoenas for all of you.”

Pause for nervous laughter.

“Obviously, I’m kidding. I do have enough.”

Man, and people complain about civil servants being boring.

Trace

Fencingsax wrote: »

AngelHedgie wrote: »

Buzzfeed has a profile of US Attorney Preet Bharara, the man who went after Silver. One of the better parts:

Preet Bharara stood out first not for his early prosecutions of bankers and local pols — aggressive, but not unusual for an office with an aggressive tradition — but for his rather edgy sense of humor. It was the summer of 2013, and Preet was the guest of honor at Delivering Alpha, a tony gathering of hedge fund managers.

“You told me there were going to be a lot of people here from the hedge fund industry,” Bharara told the room full of suits. “I just want to apologize in advance that I don’t have enough subpoenas for all of you.”

Pause for nervous laughter.

“Obviously, I’m kidding. I do have enough.”

Man, and people complain about civil servants being boring.

it was a joke about subpoenas. I mean sure it was a good one but still.

subpoenas.

Unknown

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So It Goes

Trace wrote: »

Fencingsax wrote: »

AngelHedgie wrote: »

Buzzfeed has a profile of US Attorney Preet Bharara, the man who went after Silver. One of the better parts:

Preet Bharara stood out first not for his early prosecutions of bankers and local pols — aggressive, but not unusual for an office with an aggressive tradition — but for his rather edgy sense of humor. It was the summer of 2013, and Preet was the guest of honor at Delivering Alpha, a tony gathering of hedge fund managers.

“You told me there were going to be a lot of people here from the hedge fund industry,” Bharara told the room full of suits. “I just want to apologize in advance that I don’t have enough subpoenas for all of you.”

Pause for nervous laughter.

“Obviously, I’m kidding. I do have enough.”

Man, and people complain about civil servants being boring.

it was a joke about subpoenas. I mean sure it was a good one but still.

subpoenas.

one of the best words out there

subbbbbbbpeeeeeeeenuhhhhhhs

BigWillieStyles

The fact that being arrested hasn't immediately led to his resignation/forced removal from the Speakership says all that needs to be said about how corrupt a state becomes when people like that are afforded so much power.

Solomaxwell6

BigWillieStyles wrote: »

The fact that being arrested hasn't immediately led to his resignation/forced removal from the Speakership says all that needs to be said about how corrupt a state becomes when people like that are afforded so much power.

He relinquished his power temporarily. He is effectively no longer the speaker, and unless he beats the charges he never will be again.

There's also only been one day in session since he got arrested, so not really much time for the senate to do anything.

BigWillieStyles

Solomaxwell6 wrote: »

He relinquished his power temporarily. He is effectively no longer the speaker, and unless he beats the charges he never will be again.

There's also only been one day in session since he got arrested, so not really much time for the senate to do anything.

They tried to remove him when the investigation started. The Republicans in the state Senate quashed it, apparently over fear of retaliation from Silver. Which he did enact on the people who tried it, mostly Democrats below him on the leadership totem pole.

He's the closest thing to a Frank Underwood I've seen in a while.

Gnome-Interruptus

BigWillieStyles wrote: »

The fact that being arrested hasn't immediately led to his resignation/forced removal from the Speakership says all that needs to be said about how corrupt a state becomes when people like that are afforded so much power.

An arrest isn't a guilty verdict? I mean, sure, he is guilty in the court of public opinion, but sometimes, waiting for a trial to be completed before removing someone from office is reasonable. I doubt he will win at any trial, but there is a reason that we discourage vigilantes and lynch mobs.

BigWillieStyles

Gnome-Interruptus wrote: »

An arrest isn't a guilty verdict? I mean, sure, he is guilty in the court of public opinion, but sometimes, waiting for a trial to be completed before removing someone from office is reasonable. I doubt he will win at any trial, but there is a reason that we discourage vigilantes and lynch mobs.

And? How many CEOs stay in that position after getting arrested for fraud/corruption/abuse of power charges? I'd love a few examples.

Most arrested for something usually resign from a position of power over it. Nifong served only one day in prison and was disbarred, but he was still removed as the DA for Durham well before any of that happened.

The point is that people in positions of power or elected office usually resign when they're arrested.

Gnome-Interruptus

BigWillieStyles wrote: »

Gnome-Interruptus wrote: »

An arrest isn't a guilty verdict? I mean, sure, he is guilty in the court of public opinion, but sometimes, waiting for a trial to be completed before removing someone from office is reasonable. I doubt he will win at any trial, but there is a reason that we discourage vigilantes and lynch mobs.

And? How many CEOs stay in that position after getting arrested for fraud/corruption/abuse of power charges? I'd love a few examples.

Most arrested for something usually resign from a position of power over it. Nifong served only one day in prison and was disbarred, but he was still removed as the DA for Durham well before any of that happened.

The point is that people in positions of power or elected office usually resign when they're arrested.

For all we know, resignation is part and parcel to plea deals worked out between the defense attorney and the prosecution to obtain a lighter sentence/fine.

A CEO is elected by the board, if the board wants to remove them that's fine, just like an elected official could have a recall election when they are charged, but I doubt it would be completed any faster than a trial.

BigWillieStyles

Gnome-Interruptus wrote: »

For all we know, resignation is part and parcel to plea deals worked out between the defense attorney and the prosecution to obtain a lighter sentence/fine.

A CEO is elected by the board, if the board wants to remove them that's fine, just like an elected official could have a recall election when they are charged, but I doubt it would be completed any faster than a trial.

And a Speaker is elected by the members of the legislative body of the party in the majority. They tried to remove him when the investigation started and he worked his threatening magic to stop it. And then retaliated against those who still tried to do it.

Gnome-Interruptus

BigWillieStyles wrote: »

Gnome-Interruptus wrote: »

For all we know, resignation is part and parcel to plea deals worked out between the defense attorney and the prosecution to obtain a lighter sentence/fine.

A CEO is elected by the board, if the board wants to remove them that's fine, just like an elected official could have a recall election when they are charged, but I doubt it would be completed any faster than a trial.

And a Speaker is elected by the members of the legislative body of the party in the majority. They tried to remove him when the investigation started and he worked his threatening magic to stop it. And then retaliated against those who still tried to do it.

I don't know how to better explain this to you, if the speaker hangs onto their seat, that means that they still have the backing of most of the party/chamber. Blaming it on his magic threats doesn't change that basic fact, except to ignore that for many people, charges are not the same as a conviction.

archivistkitsune

People really need to grasp that charges, do not equal convictions. We're better served if more people actually got that because prosecutors do fuck things up (sometimes it's unintentionally or sometimes it is intentional). Also a charge means there is something compelling, but that doesn't mean it's something that is illegal or that it was something that was unethical. In the event that it just unethical, well not all shitty things are illegal for various reasons (though some probably should be; especially, when we talk about money in politics). Since one has to prove in the court of law, that an individual should be convicted of a crime, that discourages some of the fuckery, where people throw charges out willy-nilly to just smear their political opponents.

Silver is probably done because lately the DoJ has been pretty good about making sure they have a solid case, when they go after politicians. It certainly doesn't silence any bitching about it being politically motivated, but it does make such arguments less compelling, when they have a pretty good track record on convictions. I'm also kind of interested in see who all he drags down with him because I doubt it's just Cuomo and Silver getting burned by all of this.

BigWillieStyles

Mill wrote: »

People really need to grasp that charges, do not equal convictions. We're better served if more people actually got that because prosecutors do fuck things up (sometimes it's unintentionally or sometimes it is intentional). Also a charge means there is something compelling, but that doesn't mean it's something that is illegal or that it was something that was unethical. In the event that it just unethical, well not all shitty things are illegal for various reasons (though some probably should be; especially, when we talk about money in politics). Since one has to prove in the court of law, that an individual should be convicted of a crime, that discourages some of the fuckery, where people throw charges out willy-nilly to just smear their political opponents.

Silver is probably done because lately the DoJ has been pretty good about making sure they have a solid case, when they go after politicians. It certainly doesn't silence any bitching about it being politically motivated, but it does make such arguments less compelling, when they have a pretty good track record on convictions. I'm also kind of interested in see who all he drags down with him because I doubt it's just Cuomo and Silver getting burned by all of this.

I know that. I was commenting on Silver's near death grip influence in the state of NY. He gets arrested and people still don't want to cross him.

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Savant

The speaker of the house in Alabama got reelected after being indicted last year, and he's still there and rather defiant about the charges. This situation seems to be unfortunately common.

Daedalus

spacekungfuman wrote: »

The terrifying thing? He wasn't even the worst. That title goes to Bruno.

Bruno got completely acquitted on appeal last year. I just found out about it when this story broke. It was some kind of technicality; he stopped denying that he received that money, just claiming that it wasn't illegal.

(I never liked him either; I used to live near his district and I still remember when he had speed bumps put right in the middle of the road on both sides of his house.)

AngelHedgie

Cuomo the Lesser is responding to Silver's arrest much like a terrified cut rate drug kingpin:

Cuomo, who has retained a private lawyer, has enlisted several former federal and state-level prosecutors with ties to Bharara's office including Steve Cohen, his former chief-of-staff, in an effort to find out Bharara's next move, the sources said. "He's freaked-out, furious, and obsessed with fear, it's like a nightmare for him. The whole narrative he laid out for his second term has been derailed by Bharara,'' said a source in regular contact with the governor. "The narrative has been taken over by Bharara and it's all about Albany's corruption, not Cuomo and his program for the state,'' the source said.

Not. Enough. Popcorn.

Edit: More proof that Bharara is awesome:

Bharara poked fun at the power structure, which he said had become “part of the political furniture” of the state. The notion, he said, was like a nostalgic remembrance of a beloved old sitcom: “Coming up after ‘Happy Days,’ it’s ‘Three Men in a Room.’”

Daedalus

I'm really glad that this is going to ruin Cuomo's presidential plans. If he made it to the general election I would have probably felt really bad while voting for whatever Republican was running against him.

AngelHedgie

So, the Silver trial has gone to the jury, and apparently, to the dogs as well:

It’s a high profile case, to be sure. But recently it’s the jury of Silver’s peers that have been getting the most attention: According to a recent New York Times report, they’re asking silly questions, begging for release and flirting with reporters.

Here’s a note from one juror—believed to be penned by one of eight women in the jury—sent less than two hours after deliberations began Tuesday:

“I am wondering if there is anyway I can be excused from this case, because I have a different opinion/view so far in this case and it is making me feel very, very uncomfortable. I’m feeling pressured, stressed out ... told that I’m not using my common sense, my heart is pounding and my head feels weird. I am so stressed out right now that I can’t even write normally. I don’t feel like I can be myself right now! I need to leave!”

The judge declined to grant the juror’s request—but he almost excused another juror after the man was spotted lurking around an NBC News truck.

Another of Mr. Silver’s lawyers, Joel Cohen, told the judge at a sidebar conference that a male juror on the panel had been observed talking to someone inside an NBC News truck near the courthouse.

Judge Caproni questioned the juror in the robing room, a transcript shows. The juror acknowledged having contact with a person in the truck.

“I know the one girl from the news,” the juror said. “That’s all I did, was say hello. I watch every morning from 4:30 to 7.”

“She said: ‘Really? My family doesn’t even watch me on TV.’ ”

“That was the extent of your conversation?” the judge asked.

“Yes,” the juror replied.

All amusing, but nothing that really goes to the heart of the case—except this note, sent by a third juror, which indicates it’s going to be a long deliberation.

A second note came shortly afterward, apparently from a different unidentified juror, stating that one of the jurors — the note did not specify which one — was having difficulty distinguishing whether or not giving New York State funds for “something in return is illegal.

Justice is blind, but this is just dumb.

Grab some popcorn and settle in, kids.

The Ender

So, if I understand this story correctly:

Silver redirected money to cancer research in exchange for client leads?


I'm... outraged?

Trace

Man, stick -me- on that jury.

of all the goddamned times in my life when I'd have been more than happy to do my duty.

Phoenix-D

The Ender wrote: »

So, if I understand this story correctly:

Silver redirected money to cancer research in exchange for client leads?


I'm... outraged?

And when the researchers can't provide any leads and lose funding because of it...?

Daedalus

Aaaaaaaaaand he's guilty.

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/12/01/nyregion/sheldon-silver-guilty-corruption-trial.html?_r=0

AngelHedgie

Daedalus wrote: »

Aaaaaaaaaand he's guilty.

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/12/01/nyregion/sheldon-silver-guilty-corruption-trial.html?_r=0

This is my shocked face.

Couldn't have happened to a more deserving goose.

Daedalus

I would be willing to place a small wager that this will get overturned on appeal just like what happened with Bruno.

Certainly that's what Silver is counting on; he didn't even bother testifying. He just kept asserting that what he did was technically legal.

Trace

man

New York has the scariest goddamn politicians in the nation I don't care how crazy the guys from the South are or whatever. fucking three men in a room

also yeah I bet the appeal overturns this.

AngelHedgie

https://twitter.com/GannettAlbany/status/671445973508481024

Andy Joe

Former Senate leader Skelos and his son have also been convicted.

AngelHedgie

https://twitter.com/PreetBharara/status/675389984849924096

There's a real sense of "exactly how many of you fuckers do I need to put behind bars? Because I'm more than willing to do it, I just need to know how many forms to order." vibe from his statement.

DevoutlyApathetic

AngelHedgie wrote: »

https://twitter.com/PreetBharara/status/675389984849924096

There's a real sense of "exactly how many of you fuckers do I need to put behind bars? Because I'm more than willing to do it, I just need to know how many forms to order." vibe from his statement.

As a life long New Yorker I think the answer is probably along the lines of:

"How many you got?"