Dean Skelos, Ex-New York Senate Leader, and His Son Are Convicted of Corruption
Dean G. Skelos, the former majority leader of the New York Senate, and his son were found guilty of federal corruption charges on Friday, a quick and devastating follow-up punch to the State Capitol, which has seen two entrenched leaders convicted and removed from office in less than two weeks.
The jury in Federal District Court in Manhattan took roughly eight hours over two days to reach its verdict against Senator Skelos, 67, and his son, Adam B. Skelos, 33, finding them guilty of all eight bribery, extortion and conspiracy counts.
As the verdict was read, Dean Skelos’s brother, Peter Skelos, held Dean’s wife, Gail, as she began to sob. The senator sat stone still with his jaw set and his chin thrust out; Adam Skelos shook his head and glanced over his shoulders. After the last guilty count was read, Dean Skelos briefly put his arm around his son’s shoulder and gave him a little pat.
The convictions of Mr. Skelos and Mr. Silver were a resounding victory for Preet Bharara, the United States attorney for the Southern District of New York, whose office prosecuted both cases and whose work has led to the conviction of 11 legislators in six years.
Not long after the verdict was given, a Twitter post went out on Mr. Bharara’s account: “How many prosecutions will it take before Albany gives the people of New York the honest government they deserve?” Nearly simultaneously, in Albany, a state worker removed Mr. Skelos’s name from his office window.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/12/nyregion/dean-skelos-adam-skelos-guilty-corruption-trial.html