FBI busts state senator and 5 others in plot to rig New York City mayoral race

[BreeddekalbL]

 

The FBI arrested New York state Sen. Malcolm A. Smith democrat and five others including Republican New York City Councilman Daniel J. Halloran III in an elaborate plot to secure Smith the Republican mayoral nomination for New York City. According to the New York Times, Smith paid bribes to multiple individuals in hopes of securing their endorsements to run as a Republican.

Smith, 54, was taken from his Queens home Tuesday morning in handcuffs. Halloran was arrested at the same time. Among others taken into custody included Republican leaders from Queens and the Bronx, Noramie F. Jasmin, who is the mayor of Spring Valley, New York, as well as her deputy, Joseph A. Desmaret.

Gerald L. Shargel, attorney for Smith, told reporters that his client has done nothing wrong, “Malcolm Smith is a dedicated and highly respected public servant and he steadfastly denies these charges.” The lawyer said he would address the charges further when he has had a chance to study them.

 

Smith and the Republicans are charged with an elaborate scheme in which Smith paid Halloran to provide him with access to Republican officials so that they would agree to sign statements that Smith should be allowed to run for mayor as a Republican even though he is a registered Democrat. In return, they were paid lavish fees and promised that Smith would steer lucrative projects to their districts.

Federal prosecutors in Manhattan unsealed the case Tuesday morning, in which an undercover FBI agent disguised as a wealthy real estate tycoon helped facilitate the deals agreeing to provide the fees, which ranged from $10,000 to $50,000. The undercover agent and a cooperating witness served as go-betweens for Halloran, Smith and other officials.

Halloran set up meetings in which the cooperating witness and the FBI agent met with Bronx GOP chairperson Joseph J. Savino and Queens Republican Party Vice President Vincent Tabone. Savino and Tabone negotiated with the agent as to the amount of the bribes necessary to secure their endorsement. Halloran himself netted $10,000 from the various deals.

Tabone is already a paid consultant in the mayoral campaign of Republican grocery magnate John Catsimatidis. Halloran recently publicly endorsed Republican candidate Joseph J. Lhota.

Smith joined a coalition of Democrats who ceded control of the state senate to New York Republicans in December of 2012. The 2012 election left Democrats with a slim majority in the 63-member senate, but Smith and a group of so-called Independent Democrats led by Sen. Jeff Klein (D-Bronx) elected to work out a power-sharing agreement with Republicans. They formed a permanent third delegation in the governing body, thereby handing the position of Senate Majority Leader to Republican Sen. Dean Skelos of Stockville.

In a statement, Klein and Skelos said, “Under the unprecedented agreement, the Independent Democratic Conference will be formally recognized as a third, permanent Senate conference. Senator Klein and Senator Skelos will assume the roles of Conference Leader for their respective conferences and will administer joint and equal authority.”

lol how shocking

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/04/02/fbi-busts-state-senator-and-5-others-in-plot-to-rig-new-york-city-mayoral-race/

[compobus fan]

 

lol how shocking

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/04/02/fbi-busts-state-senator-and-5-others-in-plot-to-rig-new-york-city-mayoral-race/

 

Looks like NYC politics at its best, nothing new, they just got caught.

[Cait Sith]

Good for their asses.

[realizm]

A top New York state lawmaker was arrested early Tuesday morning for what federal prosecutors said was his central role in a brazen series of bribery and corruption schemes, including an attempt to buy a spot on the ballot in this year’s race for New York City mayor.

 

Just wow. I don't even know where to start with this newsbreak. 

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Malcolm Smith... No comment... 

[realizm]

Malcolm Smith... No comment... 

 

I'll comment. Scumbag. Let's start there.  

 

Smith was underhanded enough to pay scumbag # 2. Republican New York City Councilman Daniel J. Halloran to seek acquaintanceship with Republican officials seeking to sign statements endorsing Smith in the run for mayor as a Republican when he is really a registered Democrat.,promising to grant liquid assets I'm assuming in their districts in return!

 

His lawyer Gerald L. Shargel. Another douchbag.  He's actually telling reporters in Malcolm Smith's defense that he has done nothing wrong, that “Malcolm Smith is a dedicated and highly respected public servant? Oh STFU. The feds caught him red handed! A blind person in searching for a spiritual healing can see that! It makes me even wonder even more now about the current Bloomberg administration and what has really been going on behind the scenes. 

 

That is very highly disconcerting to have such dishonest people running our city. Freaking insane!!

 

Yes discuss....

[QM1to6Ave]

I thought Halloran had a pretty good reputation until now. Sad...

[DJ MC]

Only a matter of time before these politicians got caught with their hand in the cookie jar. 

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

Well this is just wonderful......

[NYCtrainfan01]

Looks like NYC politics at its best, nothing new, they just got caught.

 

Not just NYC politics but politics in general...

[Trainmaster5]

If he really wanted to buy his way into ballot access he was barking up the wrong tree. He should have gone straight to "the Emperor" who currently holds the job. This lowlife dealt with the lower echelon instead of going to the master of political chicanery, the man who has dressed himself up in the colors of any party he felt like buying. BTW wasn't this yo-yo's name mentioned in the Aqueduct casino shenanigans? Some bums never learn. Carry on.

[Orion VII 4 Life]

Makes you wonder how many elections nationwide have been rigged...

[compobus fan]

Not just NYC politics but politics in general...

 

True, but we have a willingness to go the extra mile to be more flamboyant in our thievery. 

[MHV9218]

Malcolm Smith... No comment... 

 

 

I'll comment. Scumbag. Let's start there.  

 

Smith was underhanded enough to pay scumbag # 2. Republican New York City Councilman Daniel J. Halloran to seek acquaintanceship with Republican officials seeking to sign statements endorsing Smith in the run for mayor as a Republican when he is really a registered Democrat.,promising to grant liquid assets I'm assuming in their districts in return!

 

His lawyer Gerald L. Shargel. Another douchbag.  He's actually telling reporters in Malcolm Smith's defense that he has done nothing wrong, that “Malcolm Smith is a dedicated and highly respected public servant? Oh STFU. The feds caught him red handed! A blind person in searching for a spiritual healing can see that! It makes me even wonder even more now about the current Bloomberg administration and what has really been going on behind the scenes. 

 

That is very highly disconcerting to have such dishonest people running our city. Freaking insane!!

 

Yes discuss....

 

Realizm hit the nail on the head. Malcolm Smith has been a corrupt sleazebag for decades, just happens that his ass got caught this time. Another one of these types who crossed Democrat-Republican just to try to get in power; always a surefire sign something's not right when you see somebody do that.

[B35 via Church]

You mean these guys that get into these positions of power don't all buy their way into office...

Someone actually "wins" legitimately; these races aren't all rigged...  News to me.

 

 

Not just NYC politics but politics in general...

That's what I say....

[cotb16]

I'll comment. Scumbag. Let's start there.  

 

Smith was underhanded enough to pay scumbag # 2. Republican New York City Councilman Daniel J. Halloran to seek acquaintanceship with Republican officials seeking to sign statements endorsing Smith in the run for mayor as a Republican when he is really a registered Democrat.,promising to grant liquid assets I'm assuming in their districts in return!

 

His lawyer Gerald L. Shargel. Another douchbag.  He's actually telling reporters in Malcolm Smith's defense that he has done nothing wrong, that “Malcolm Smith is a dedicated and highly respected public servant? Oh STFU. The feds caught him red handed! A blind person in searching for a spiritual healing can see that! It makes me even wonder even more now about the current Bloomberg administration and what has really been going on behind the scenes. 

 

That is very highly disconcerting to have such dishonest people running our city. Freaking insane!!

 

Yes discuss....

 

Not to mention how Malcolm Smith surprisingly jumped to the Independent Democratic Conference (headed by Bronx Senator Jeff Klein) after the November 2012 election.

[Interested Rider]

One of the newspapers today reported that 7 New York State Senators have either been indicted (with most of them convicted) since 2007. So what else is new?

 

Remember the "gang of four" who took control of the New York State Senate, where are they now? They are not in the Senate and one is in Federal Prison doing seven years. Again what else is new?

 

This has been going on for years (really for centuries) and it will continue as long as people who are elected to any office think that they have a right to violate the law and think that they will not get caught.  Who are they kidding? 

 

 

 

 

[Interested Rider]

An update as of this afternoon:

 

Two more bite the dust as two New York State Assemblymen have resigned (or will be resigning) today according the Local Huffington Post. That brings the number to eight in the past three days.

 

 

[CenSin]

They should only report when politicians do honest things. I mean… I wouldn't write a news article about the rainy weather. It's kind of natural.

[NYCtrainfan01]

They should only report when politicians do honest things. I mean… I wouldn't write a news article about the rainy weather. It's kind of natural.

 

I disagree... The American people have the right to know when politicians decide to do something like this... Corruption is unacceptable...

[QM1to6Ave]

One of the newspapers today reported that 7 New York State Senators have either been indicted (with most of them convicted) since 2007. So what else is new?

 

Remember the "gang of four" who took control of the New York State Senate, where are they now? They are not in the Senate and one is in Federal Prison doing seven years. Again what else is new?

 

This has been going on for years (really for centuries) and it will continue as long as people who are elected to any office think that they have a right to violate the law and think that they will not get caught.  Who are they kidding? 

Good times right there. Albany became a laughingstock thanks to Pedro Espada and his derelict friends. 

[B35 via Church]

They should only report when politicians do honest things.

 

I mean… I wouldn't write a news article about the rainy weather. It's kind of natural.

I agree, as there wouldn't be anything to report.... News programming is long enough already...

 

I disagree... The American people have the right to know when politicians decide to do something like this... Corruption is unacceptable...

I thought he was using sarcasm....

[Interested Rider]

If they ever get to the bottom of the Aqueduct deal there will be more indictments.

 

If that happens this district will be two for two with one indicted and convicted (the crybaby) and the new one who was given this one's old district  indicted as well.

 

 

[NYCtrainfan01]

I agree, as there wouldn't be anything to report.... News programming is long enough already...

 

I thought he was using sarcasm....

 

I'm normally good at picking up sarcasm too lol... Damn it lol... Meh, my comment still stands about corruption though...

[compobus fan]

Good times right there. Albany became a laughingstock thanks to Pedro Espada and his derelict friends. 

 

Totally agree, but at some point, the IDIOTS who keep electing these thieves have to start looking in the mirror.  No politician can buils a power base unless the Lemmings keep electing them.