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Republican N.Y. State Senate Leader Dean Skelos, Half-black Son Arrested on Corruption Charges
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Jaysan
Nov 15, 2015, 8:33:23 AM11/15/15
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http://www.wsj.com/articles/n-y-state-senate-leader-skelos-son-
surrender-to-authorities-1430747813
New York state Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos and his son
were arrested Monday and charged with corruption in a federal
complaint, marking the latest criminal allegations to buffet
Albany.
A 43-page complaint, released Monday morning by the U.S.
attorney for the Southern District of New York, charges both men
with six counts, including two counts of conspiracy, two counts
of extortion and two counts of solicitation of bribes and
gratuities.
The complaint describes an alleged scheme to extort money to
benefit the senator’s son, Adam Skelos, with the expectation
that the payments would influence the senator’s official
actions. It also alleges that both men went to great lengths to
conceal their activity, including using coded language and a
“burner” phone.
“I am innocent of the charges leveled against me,” the 67-year-
old senator said in a statement Monday. “I am not saying I am
just not guilty, I am saying that I am innocent. I fully expect
to be exonerated by a public jury trial.”
An attorney for Adam Skelos said he would comment later Monday.
The senator—the highest-ranking Republican in the state who was
re-elected last year to his Long Island seat for a 16th term—and
his 32-year-old son surrendered at the Federal Bureau of
Investigation offices in Manhattan around 9:30 a.m. Monday, an
FBI spokesman said.
According to the allegations in the complaint, the senator and
his son pressured the senior executive of a major real-estate
development firm, a person who has been cooperating with the
government, to arrange for Adam Skelos to be paid hundreds of
thousands of dollars. The payment was aimed at influencing the
senator’s legislative actions, the complaint alleges.
The developer, which isn't named in the complaint, arranged for
Adam Skelos to receive a one-time $20,000 payment disguised as a
commission for title insurance work that the younger Mr. Skelos
didn’t perform, the complaint alleges. The developer also
arranged for continuing payments to Mr. Skelos from an
environmental technology company that was seeking to win
government-funded contracts in New York, according to the
complaint.
The Skelos probe is part of a broad inquiry by federal
investigators in New York into allegations of corruption in
Albany. The expected charges come just months after Sheldon
Silver, the longtime former Assembly Speaker, was arrested as
part of a public-corruption investigation.
Mr. Silver, who has since been indicted and faces charges of
mail and wire fraud and extortion, has pleaded not guilty.
Mr. Silver’s arrest rattled Albany, and though he initially
sought to retain his leadership post, he was forced to step down
by members of his conference within about a week of his arrest.
The charges against Mr. Skelos are certain to unnerve state
lawmakers, raising questions about whether he can continue to
lead the chamber.
It was unclear Monday morning whether Mr. Skelos would attempt
to cling to his leadership role or whether he might resign in an
effort to help his party retain control of the chamber.
Republicans have a razor-thin majority in the Senate.
Sen. Andrea Stewart-Cousins, the chamber’s Democratic leader,
said the charges against the senator are “deeply disturbing.”
“I cannot imagine him continuing to serve as leader as he deals
with the cloud of corruption,” she said. “There are many
pressing issues that must be addressed during the remainder of
the legislative session, and the Senate Republican majority must
ensure that this body is not bogged down in scandal.”
—Joe Jackson contributed to this article.
Comments:
Patrick Plemmons 2 minutes ago
Leftists are nothing if not consistent. In a state awash in
corruption and owned by the democrat party, they go after the
highest ranking Republican in the state. It would be funny if
not so scary.
PETER HESSPETER HESS 45 minutes ago
Unfortunately, since all of this comes out of Obama's Justice
Department you can't readilly believe any of it. You knew that
once they filed charges against Democrat Silver they were going
to have to bring charges against a Republican leader to balance
the table.
The charge that they were arrested due to payments made "
.......with the expectation that the payments would influence
the senator’s official actions" ..... with the hundreds of
$millions paid to the Clintons by foreign governments with
actions pending before the State Department says a lot. No
investigation or charges there.
NORMAN BEINNORMAN BEIN 2 hours ago
the politicians' job is to lie for money...what else makes this
newsworthy ?
surrender-to-authorities-1430747813
New York state Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos and his son
were arrested Monday and charged with corruption in a federal
complaint, marking the latest criminal allegations to buffet
Albany.
A 43-page complaint, released Monday morning by the U.S.
attorney for the Southern District of New York, charges both men
with six counts, including two counts of conspiracy, two counts
of extortion and two counts of solicitation of bribes and
gratuities.
The complaint describes an alleged scheme to extort money to
benefit the senator’s son, Adam Skelos, with the expectation
that the payments would influence the senator’s official
actions. It also alleges that both men went to great lengths to
conceal their activity, including using coded language and a
“burner” phone.
“I am innocent of the charges leveled against me,” the 67-year-
old senator said in a statement Monday. “I am not saying I am
just not guilty, I am saying that I am innocent. I fully expect
to be exonerated by a public jury trial.”
An attorney for Adam Skelos said he would comment later Monday.
The senator—the highest-ranking Republican in the state who was
re-elected last year to his Long Island seat for a 16th term—and
his 32-year-old son surrendered at the Federal Bureau of
Investigation offices in Manhattan around 9:30 a.m. Monday, an
FBI spokesman said.
According to the allegations in the complaint, the senator and
his son pressured the senior executive of a major real-estate
development firm, a person who has been cooperating with the
government, to arrange for Adam Skelos to be paid hundreds of
thousands of dollars. The payment was aimed at influencing the
senator’s legislative actions, the complaint alleges.
The developer, which isn't named in the complaint, arranged for
Adam Skelos to receive a one-time $20,000 payment disguised as a
commission for title insurance work that the younger Mr. Skelos
didn’t perform, the complaint alleges. The developer also
arranged for continuing payments to Mr. Skelos from an
environmental technology company that was seeking to win
government-funded contracts in New York, according to the
complaint.
The Skelos probe is part of a broad inquiry by federal
investigators in New York into allegations of corruption in
Albany. The expected charges come just months after Sheldon
Silver, the longtime former Assembly Speaker, was arrested as
part of a public-corruption investigation.
Mr. Silver, who has since been indicted and faces charges of
mail and wire fraud and extortion, has pleaded not guilty.
Mr. Silver’s arrest rattled Albany, and though he initially
sought to retain his leadership post, he was forced to step down
by members of his conference within about a week of his arrest.
The charges against Mr. Skelos are certain to unnerve state
lawmakers, raising questions about whether he can continue to
lead the chamber.
It was unclear Monday morning whether Mr. Skelos would attempt
to cling to his leadership role or whether he might resign in an
effort to help his party retain control of the chamber.
Republicans have a razor-thin majority in the Senate.
Sen. Andrea Stewart-Cousins, the chamber’s Democratic leader,
said the charges against the senator are “deeply disturbing.”
“I cannot imagine him continuing to serve as leader as he deals
with the cloud of corruption,” she said. “There are many
pressing issues that must be addressed during the remainder of
the legislative session, and the Senate Republican majority must
ensure that this body is not bogged down in scandal.”
—Joe Jackson contributed to this article.
Comments:
Patrick Plemmons 2 minutes ago
Leftists are nothing if not consistent. In a state awash in
corruption and owned by the democrat party, they go after the
highest ranking Republican in the state. It would be funny if
not so scary.
PETER HESSPETER HESS 45 minutes ago
Unfortunately, since all of this comes out of Obama's Justice
Department you can't readilly believe any of it. You knew that
once they filed charges against Democrat Silver they were going
to have to bring charges against a Republican leader to balance
the table.
The charge that they were arrested due to payments made "
.......with the expectation that the payments would influence
the senator’s official actions" ..... with the hundreds of
$millions paid to the Clintons by foreign governments with
actions pending before the State Department says a lot. No
investigation or charges there.
NORMAN BEINNORMAN BEIN 2 hours ago
the politicians' job is to lie for money...what else makes this
newsworthy ?
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