Sentences with phrase «silver abused his power»

NEW YORK (AP)-- In newly released documents, federal prosecutors say former New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver abused his power to help two women, including a lobbyist, with whom he had extramarital affairs.

Prosecutors said Silver abused his power for personal gain, while defense attorneys argued that Silver was acting within the law, even if people were uncomfortable with a system that allows for legislators to earn an outside salary.

Not exact matches

In a verdict celebrated at the time as a landmark setback for Albany's pay - to - play culture, Silver, 73, a Manhattan Democrat who had become a Capitol institution, was convicted of two schemes in which he allegedly made $ 4 million in legal referral fees for abusing his power as speaker.

The conviction of former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver is the latest and largest verdict in a seemingly endless parade of New York public officials caught abusing power for personal gain.

Silvers lawyers two weeks ago claimed that statements Bharara made about the charges — which allege Silver lined his pockets with nearly $ 4 million in bribes and kickbacks in a stunning abuse of power dating to at least 2000 — «caused irreparable harm by tainting» the grand jury that indicted him on Feb. 19.

Silver, a Democrat convicted last November on seven corruption counts, should serve a sentence that reflects the «unprecedented magnitude, duration, and scope of his abuse of power,» Manhattan federal prosecutors said in the sentencing memo.

The lawyers filed a motion to dismiss the charges — which allege Silver lined his pockets with nearly $ 4 million in bribes and kickbacks in a stunning abuse of power dating to at least 2000 — claiming public statements that Manhattan US Attorney Preet Bharara made about the case «caused irreparable harm by tainting» the grand jury that indicted him on Feb. 19.

It noted that Silver publicly accused the commission of abusing its power by engaging «in a fishing expedition to intimidate legislators.»

Silver, 71, was indicted in January on corruption charges alleging that he abused his political power in order to line his pockets with more than $ 4 million in bribes and kickbacks dating back to 2000.

Retrials are coming up for two former leaders in the New York state Legislature who are accused of abusing government power for personal gain: ex-Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and ex-Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos.

The New York Times says the Silver verdict and ongoing trial of former Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos «should sound a loud alarm to all the players in Albany who have become so accustomed to the abuse of power that they can't see how it infects every aspect of lawmaking,» adding: «If the lawmakers still don't get the message, voters should take heed.

Prosecutors allege Silver acted out of greed and abused his power for personal gain.

Mr. Silver had «abused» the power given to him by the people of New York «to enrich himself to the tune of $ 5 million,» she said.

A Manhattan federal jury found Silver guilty in November of abusing his power for more than a decade in exchange for bribes and kickbacks.

«The sentence imposed on Silver should reflect the unprecedented magnitude, duration, and scope of his abuse of power,» prosecutors said in their sentencing memo.

There is no small irony in the fact that Silver's alleged abuse of the trial courts — US Attorney Preet Bharara charges that Silver abused his high office to corruptly make it rain for the power - house tort firm Weitz & Luxenberg — led to his own indictment.

She asked the judge for a sentence that would reflect Silver's «abuse of power and betrayal of the public trust,» and that would «send a message that no one, including Sheldon Silver, is above the law.»

«Year after year after year, Sheldon Silver was on the take... he abused the power he had as leader of the New York State Assembly to get rich,» Cohen said.

This should be a red flag to voters who remember that lucrative side careers were how both Mr. Skelos and Mr. Silver so easily abused their power and enriched themselves.

The commission was looking into possible misdeeds by former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, who was indicted in February for allegedly lining his pockets with nearly $ 4 million in bribes and kickbacks in a stunning abuse of power dating to at least 2000.

But in what could be viewed as providential, Silver was charged — the day after Cuomo's fiery talk — with lining his pockets with nearly $ 4 million in bribes and kickbacks in a massive abuse of power dating back at least 15 years.