Former N.Y. Assembly speaker sentenced to 12 years in prison
ALBANY, N.Y. — A once-powerful New York lawmaker was sentenced to 12 years in prison Tuesday in a federal corruption case.
Federal prosecutors were seeking more than 14 years in prison for Sheldon Silver, the former Assembly speaker, who was convicted Nov. 30 on all seven federal corruption counts against him. The verdict brought down one of the biggest players in New York politics who served in the state Legislature for more than 20 years.
The Manhattan Democrat's sentencing came in Manhattan federal court as corruption in state government continues to be front and center: New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's closest confidante Joseph Percoco is being investigated by the same federal prosecutors for alleged outside income during his tenure as Cuomo's top aide. The investigation is part of a broadening probe into Cuomo's economic-development initiatives.
"I failed the people of New York," Silver, 72, wrote last month in seeking leniency from U.S. District Judge Valerie Caproni. "There is no question about it."
With Silver, U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara is testing the limits of the prison sentences sought for convicted New York politicians.
The request of more than 14 years would be the largest prison sentence ever levied against a convicted state lawmaker, and Bharara also is asking that Silver return $5 million he pocketed from his corruption schemes.
The sentence "should punish Silver for the vast harm he has caused and the position of trust that he exploited, deter other elected officials from the temptation towards corruption, and communicate to the public that the rule of law applies even to the most prominent of public officials," Bharara's office wrote.
Silver was convicted for collecting the $5 million from two law firms over a series of years in exchange for using his influence to steer work to the firms, as well as provide state grants to a doctor who had patients suffering from illnesses associated with asbestos.
Silver’s guilty verdict was a remarkable end to the career of one of the most powerful people in New York government.
He stepped down as speaker in January 2015 not long after he was charged, but he stayed on as a rank-and-file lawmaker until his conviction.
Silver was found guilty of two counts each of mail fraud, wire fraud and extortion, as well as a single money-laundering charge. All are felonies.
He faces up to 20 years in prison on six of the seven counts, as well as 10 years on the seventh count of money laundering, when he is sentenced.
Bharara also scored a conviction in December against the former Senate leader, Dean Skelos, a Republican from Nassau County.
Skelos was convicted for using his influence to get jobs for his son, Adam, who was found guilty in the scheme.
They are set for sentencing May 12.
Bharara’s office asked District Judge Kimba Wood to sentence Skelos to 12 ½ to 15 ⅔ years in prison, arguing Skelos’ crimes rank among “the most serious public corruption crimes committed in New York State in recent memory.”
Contributing: Jon Campbell, Gannett Albany (N.Y.) Bureau. Joseph Spector writes for the Gannett Albany (N.Y.) Bureau. Follow him on Twitter: @GannettAlbany