In addition to prison time, Silver will have to complete three years of supervised release (Photo: NYMTACC)
One of the New York legislators responsible for the state’s draconian gun laws has been sentenced to seven years in federal prison, according to the Department of Justice.
Sheldon Silver served as New York’s Speaker of the House from 1994 until 2015. During that time, he sponsored and orchestrated the New York S.A.F.E. Act, an infamous set of gun control laws that banned “assault weapons,” restricted magazine capacity, and instituted universal background checks. Silver also used his official position to garner nearly $4 million in bribes and another $1 million through laundering the proceeds of his crimes.
“When he assumed his powerful position at the top of New York State government, Sheldon Silver took an oath to do the work of the people,” said U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman in a statement. “Instead, he leveraged his tremendous influence to pad his bank account and line his pockets.”
A unanimous jury verdict in May found Silver guilty, which was the second time he had been convicted for these crimes. His first conviction in 2015 was thrown out by a U.S. Appeals Court as the result of a Supreme Court decision.
SEE ALSO: New Yorkers: Re-Certify Your Assault Weapon Registration (or Spend A Year In Jail)!
Silver begged the judge for mercy before sentencing.
“Everything I ever accomplished has become a joke and a spectacle. … I beg for your mercy so that I can somehow go out into the world again to atone to everyone I have hurt,” he wrote in a letter to U.S. District Judge Valerie E. Caproni.
Caproni listened to Silver’s plea and knocked his 12-year jail sentence down to seven. Silver will also have to serve three years of supervised release.
The jury convicted Silver for entering into two kick-back schemes in which he used his position as Speaker of the House to benefit two real estate firms and a physician. In the first, Silver approached Glenwood Management Corp. and The Witkoff Group LLC and asked them to secure the legal services of Goldberg & Iryami, P.C. Silver received a cut of the legal fees, and in return he worked in the legislature to pass policies that benefitted the real estate developers.
In the second scheme, Silver agreed to a corrupt arrangement with Dr. Robert Taub, who was a leading physician specializing in the treatment of asbestos-related diseases. Dr. Taub referred his patients to Silver’s law firm, Weitz & Luxenberg, and in return Silver funneled state funds to Taub’s practice and to the non-profits with which he was associated.
SEE ALSO: New York Comptroller Asking Money Lenders to Put the Choke on Gun Sellers
In addition, Silver attempted to thwart the Moreland Commission to Investigate Public Corruption, which had been instituted by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in July of 2013, the same year the S.A.F.E. Act was passed.
Interestingly, Gov. Cuomo, another staunch anti-gun advocate, also came under fire for blocking the efforts of the Moreland Commission. When asked about these allegations in 2014 by Crain’s, Cuomo responded that he couldn’t be charged for tampering with his own commission.
“It’s not a legal question. The Moreland Commission was my commission,” Mr. Cuomo explained. “It’s my commission. My subpoena power, my Moreland Commission. I can appoint it, I can disband it. I appoint you, I can un-appoint you tomorrow.
“So, interference? It’s my commission. I can’t ‘interfere’ with it, because it is mine. It is controlled by me.”
Silver was found guilty by a unanimous jury on May 11, 2018, of two counts of honest services wire fraud, two counts of honest services mail fraud, two counts of extortion under color of official right, and one count of engaging in illegal monetary transactions.
I’d say great IF in fact he actually serves the time, but he likely won’t. He’ll get to remain free while his appeals play out, which will likely take the rest of his miserable life. Sure, we win a few battles – his conviction for instance – but, we’ve lost the war. There’s a long list of even more socialist libtards in the dimocrap party just waiting for their turn to help ruin this country – just look at AOC and the rest of her merry little band of anti-America(n) degenerates.
He’ll be someones bitch and then demand a sex change, Oy Vey!
He is just one in a long list of liberal scum bags that are corrupt and will do anything to fill their pockets.
Why was his case thrown out the first time. Oops a Hussein appointed liberal judge. NOW this SCUM BAG gets a second break from 12 year sentence down 7 years. What a joke with only 4 years supervised release. When is the revolt gonna start?
DEMORATS AND LIBERALS ARE THE RUINATION OF OUR GREAT COUNTRY FOR EVERY TRUE AMERICAN CITIZEN
“Everything I ever accomplished has become a joke and a spectacle. … I beg for your mercy so that I can somehow go out into the world again to atone to everyone I have hurt,” he wrote in a letter to U.S. District Judge Valerie E. Caproni.
much like all democRATS who get caught, start crying like a baby, wanting to be let off easy. bet you weren’t talking like that when you were setting up your dirty deals in the back rooms.
yeah sure you do. say anything to keep out of prison, which is just the place you should be. scum bag new york trash.
if left out of prison he would somehow find a way to keep doing what put it there in the first place.
He’ll be somebodies bitch in no time, karmas way of saying F U you socialist jerkoff. lol
Hahaha serves the jackass right. Perhaps even better would be execution by firing squad….with “assault ” weapons
rot you shithead
HA HA HA HA HA!
Hope Silver gets “shanked” but he’ll probably get resort and spa prison for politicians.
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Silver thought that he was one of the “special” snowflakes who is above the laws that apply to us peons. Looks like he just joined the peon class!
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Now–about Hillary Clintoon……! And the rest of the corrupt Deep State perps. Graybar hotels and swell Dayglo Orange jumpsuits await.
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John Bibb
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Like the rest of the “convicted” elite, he’ll spend his sentence playing golf in one of their “low security prison” county clubs.
Sounds like they need to go after that crazily crooked Chomo sry I meant Cuomo that’s insane that he can do whatever he wants and still sit in the big seat that’s y America is going the way it is now
So DumbocRAT Cuomo can disband a commission under HIS authority. So that means Trump can end the Mueller Commission which is under his authority. Funny how it’s OK for them to do it, but not OK if you are a Republican. And THEY say there isn’t a two-tiered justice system! BS!!!! If there wasn’t, a lot of THEM would be in the same predicament, or worse, as this Silver guy. Too bad they aren’t.
Scumbag!
I moved out of NY almost 10 years ago for the Southwest. Tired of the taxes, corrupt politicians (town supervisor went to jail for securities fraud) and the General life style.
Albany is corrupt from top to bottom and It took the federal authorities to crack down on these crooks. Cuomo did everything including closing down a commission which was investigating corruption.
The judge not only reduced Silvers sentence but decided to let him stay out of jail on bail pending appeal. At his age he probably won’t spend a day in jail. What a joke. NY is a sewer.
So, all he accomplished is now a joke???
From my viewpoint, he only got into politics to make money, so all he accomplished was exactly that, he just got caught, that’s all.
He’s trying to make out like what he did was really for the common good, when he was only ever in it for himself.
Cuomo is guilty of the same thing but shut down the investigation when they were knocking on his door. Corruption is what Democrats do best.
Golly, I’m shocked…… SHOCKED!! Another corrupt, criminal Dhim/Com Authoritarian.
I wonder if he knows leland yee very well yet?
SHOCKED, I TELL YA!!!
I moved out of New York State years ago because of this dirtbag.The king of all dirtbags Mario the blessed was ruler of Newyorkistan at the time.Now his dirtbag son Coumo the Lesser,needs to be brought up on charges and sent to prison.
He should have his entire net worth confiscated and given to support pro-2nd Amendment causes while he serves out his prison sentence in a cell with a very “large” man convicted of violent homosexual rape. (Think soda can and ball bat.)
Such a creep, prison is where he belongs!
I find ironic that they guy that was willing to strip someone of their second amendment RIGHTS, and send a person to jail for decades for what would and should have been considered legally owning a firearm, actually broke the law and set aside the public trust only to get a slap on the hand.
The Judge that reduced his sentence should be forced to serve the years that the sentence was reduced.
Good job, now go get the rest of them.