Why NY Assembly Speaker Silver Will Be Arrested
In a stunning development, the New York Times reports that Sheldon Silver, the speaker of the New York State Assembly, will be arrested on federal corruption charges on Thursday. Silver, who has been speaker since 1994, is the legislature’s most powerful Democrat, and, as “the most gifted Albany player of his generation,” he’s survived numerous scandals. The office of U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara has been investigating secret payments Silver allegedly received from a small law firm as part of its probe into Albany corruption. Here’s some background on the speaker, and what led to the impending arrest that’s sure to send shockwaves through Albany.
Who is Sheldon Silver?
Silver represents Manhattan’s Lower East Side, and has served in the Assembly since 1977. The Times describes the 70-year-old lawmaker as “a consummate back-room player, one of Albany’s ‘three men in a room,’ along with the governor and Senate majority leader, who negotiate the state budget and hammer out deals on important legislation.” He was easily reelected speaker on January 7.
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