Bharara's secured a 7 year prison sentence for a former majority leader, one of the five consecutive majority leaders indicted for corruption. Preet Bharara don’t play.
As I’ve mentioned before, it’s become increasingly obvious that the US Attorney is not conducting a series of unrelated investigations. He’s working one large one and he’s going about it in much the same way he would conduct a mafia investigation. He’s working up the pyramid to man at the top while putting as much pressure as possible and those further down the food chain to cooperate with his office.
The big question now is which one of these guys flips first. (My money is on Skelos.) Because two of the “three men in a room” are now already facing federal charges. There’s probably only one Get Out of Jail Free card on offer. Once one of them cuts a deal, there are likely no more musical chairs left to secure.
And then all bets are off. Then there’s the likelihood of a lengthy prison sentence (Skelos) or the possibility of dying in prison (Silver).
That’s enough to make a man think long and hard about his options.
The pattern out of Bharara's office has been a series of leaks every few months that sets up the next bombshell arrest - it started with the Silver leaks in 2014, continued with Silver's arrest the day after Cuomo's state of the state/budget address in January, continued again with leaks about Skelos right after the Silver arrest, continued with Skelos's arrest after the budget was completed in March.
I'm with Albany Project here.
The leak that Silver/Skelos had best heed the Smith sentence is not some accidental occurrence.
It's meant to squeeze Silver and/or Skelos into dealing.
And what do either of them have to deal?
Can't speak to Shelly, but Dean's perhaps got this.
Slight difference here is that Smith truly was corrupt. He saw everything as a cash grab (his charter school is but one example).
ReplyDeleteThese two guys may be up against it, but comparing them to Smith still seems like apples and oranges to me.
Also, I don't completely buy the 'working up the food chain' theory. Cuomo has never had more power than he did during this budget season (that's not me. I think Dicker said it in one of his pieces).
Smith's attorney argued that Smith should be given leniency because the bribery conviction was not a cash grab but rather a power grab in order to get on the mayoral ballot and do some good.
DeleteThe judge agreed that Smith's crime was not a cash grab but nonetheless gave him seven years.
In any case, I would argue Silver's and Skelos' charges are about cash grabs as well.
The kickbacks Shelly took for the referrals, not a cash grab?
The no show job Skelos got for his son, not a cash grab?
Sticking the sewer money into the budget at the same time his son was "working" for a company that manufactured filters to clean sewers? Not a cash grab?
Whether Preet's working his way up the chain or not, it's pretty clear to me that the leak from last week was meant to squeeze Silver and/or Skelos.
What he gets out of one of them in return for a deal remains to be seen.
But it appears to me like the pattern of leak, leak, arrest, leak, leak, arrest continues.
Silver is 71 years old. His life expectancy is approximately 12 years. I doubt that he wants to spend 7 to 10 years in prison eating TV dinners and observing his sabbath and festivals. What a disgrace! Sheldon is responsible for unleashing Meryl Tisch on the fine citizens of NY state. If he is fool enough to serve 10 years behind bars, then let him enjoy the pleasantries of his small cell in Attica State while keeping the company of his own ilk. Hemost certainly deserves it.
ReplyDeleteAndrew Cuomo, the citizens of New York State have nothing but contempt for you. We would wish upon you to run away and hide in Adirondack State Park. There you could hunt squirrels, rabbits and groundhogs, and then boil them for your lonely feast.
ReplyDeleteWhen are the other corrupt GOP senators going to be arrested? You know who they are; the guys who use their campaign committee funds to live off of, i.e. their cars, tolls, parking, food, holiday gifts, phones, TV/internet, etc. After charging their campaigns for all of their travel they bill the state and pocket the checks instead of reimbursing their campaigns. What about the no-show law firm jobs for up to $150,000 per year? Preet is going to let these creeps get away with their crimes?
ReplyDeleteLet's not forget about Steve Pigeon. He may be the one to talk, making Schniederman the hero. Check out these articles in The Daily Public: http://www.dailypublic.com/articles/05282015/merry-preetmas
ReplyDelete