FBI Arrests Top New York Dem Lawmaker

DAILY BEAST

The Speaker of the New York State Assembly, Sheldon Silver, was arrested by the FBI on corruption charges Thursday. Prosecutors allege that Silver, a Democrat who's served as speaker for more than two decades, was paid more than $4 million from a small New York lawfirm that focuses on real-estate tax reductions for residential and commercial properties.

Silver failed to list the payments from the firm, Goldberg & Iryami, on his annual financial-disclosure filings with the state. He faces five counts including mail fraud, wire fraud, and extortion. According to the complaint, he ran a scheme “to induce real estate developers with business before the state” and was pulling payments for referrals he gave the firm.

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