Skelos, Silver, Percoco -- all indicted and convicted.
Only one name is missing from the list. (Hint the "third man in the room")
2
You’re either corrupt or your not.
Enough with these crooked politicians.
Lock ‘em up and throw away the key !!
Could not happen to a nicer guy. For anyones information, he has been mentioned in the media as having held back the consideration of the medical malpractice discovery law in New York State for years. That is when medical malpractice is discovered after the statute of limitations (2.5 years in NYS) has run out and you can still sue because the situation was not discovered in time. Almost 40 states have this law but it has been held back by the Republicans in the NYS senate. A version of the law was finally passed here in February 2018, but only for cancer. Hope he and his son cool their heels in a crummy jail for as long as the law allows.
1
Dean Skelos can do five years standing on his head. He's an old line chiseling politician. I'm not sure if his son can pull 6 years without cracking. What I'm wondering is why Sheldon has not been sentenced yet? Sheldon is the one who really should pull time for how he has let the people of New York down for so many years.The government prosecutors ought to declare a seizure of assets from Sheldon. Shelly took in millions but lived very simply. He's stashed millions. His annual kickback from the personal injury law firm amounts to seven digits a year for years and years that he maintains an office with them. Let Shelly and Dean do the time and then start fresh.
2
About time the corrupt politicians in Albany (and I don't mean just Skelos) faced the consequences of their actions. Still a lot of work to do! May I suggest you start next with the governor!
3
@DCS I say stick with the republicans first, then move on, nothing to see here, move along.....
if this is corruption, leading to crime, just think how insane Trump's corruption will be once it is out into the daylight .
5
Are there any States that do not have Corruption.
Someone please name them.
4
Adam Skelos somehow failed to launch as an adaptive adult male, despite being the graciously adopted only child of Mr. & Mrs. Dean Skelos.
It's been noted that Adam struggles w/ alcoholism, could not independently get or diligently keep a job on his own, and seems to still act like a whiny teenager who bullies his parents to give him what he wants, not needs.
It unfortunately sounds like the Skeloses adopted someone with lingering Fetal Alcohol spectrum deficit, but instead of putting him under some form of conservatorship while getting him into a modest, low-profile lifestyle, Sen. Skelos just exploited his political clout to keep up the facade of Adam being a high-functioning professional.
In hindsight, did Sen. Skelos just adopt this boy as some sort of political image-building (i.e. completing a happy family portrait w/ an otherwise orphaned boy), and didn't humbly explore best-suited vocational/lifestyle paths for Adam - because Sen. Skelos did not want his personal & professional image tarnished as a father to a stubbornly low-performing, spoiled rotten loser?
All this nobly admirable talk of traditional, prosperity-seeking family values does not honestly admit the reality that not all adoptions are fairy tale successese, & not every married couple is best-suited to be either biological or adoptive parents.
Parenting any child into self-sufficient, dignified adulthood is humbling hard work. Parental love & parental conceit aren't the same thing!
3
They'll appeal, all the way to the Supreme Court if necessary, and they'll win.
They won't need a Republican majority on the bench. Former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, caught red-handed with Rolex watches, luxury cars and huge amounts of cash had his conviction vacated by the SCOTUS unanimously - yes, that's right, even liberal darlings RBG and Sotomayor decided that it's okay for rich people to bribe our politicians.
Trying to analyze corruption through a partisan lens will make you look foolish. Both parties stink.
3
Shelly and Skelly, the opposing NYState leaders, Democrat and Republican... both wound up where they kinda earned their place:
PRISON.
2
Hope the prosecuters with Mueller are as successful!
For all those decrying the political polarization in our society, NY State proves, once again, that official corruption has bipartisan support.
4
@Billy Baynew
I've been saying for years that i don't get terribly bothered by political gridlock. I'm more afraid when Dems and Repubs agree on legislation, because it surely means that they and their donors will make out like bandits, and the proles will get hosed yet again.
1
So, justice, albeit slow, seems to work alright. It restores some trust that democratic institutions are up to the task in protecting ordinary folks from the abuses of power.
Politicians & corruption have always gone together like peanut butter & jelly. However this case is illustrative of something even more common nowadays, Millennial Entitlement.
4
What is with NY Democrats? The corruption is amazing. As they say, the fish rots from the head down, and Cuomo is rotten to the core which is why he abruptly shut down the Moreland Commission the minute it started to investigate his own shady dealings.
10
@FXQ
Huh? Skelos is a Republican. Or is that just an inconvenient fact that you choose to overlook?
2
@FXQ Skelos is a former Republican politician, representing Naussau County.
2
@FXQ Typical, this isn't about the democrats, it's about Mr. Skelos and his son, who happen to be republicans, doing what they do best, lie, cheat, and steal. If there's enough evidence to move forward with indictments against Cuomo, then they will convene a grand jury and do just that.
But I would like to know, what is it with republicans and this diversion tactic, when a republican is called out, or in this case convicted, republicans scream what about Cuomo, or bring up Clinton's email server, or Benghazi. Get over yourselves, and stick to what this article is about, it's about the criminal activities of an elected official that deserves to be in prison.
This is great news. Really too bad the didn't jail Jeanine Pirro when they had the chance.
6
@Ken Speaking of her, I wonder how many people she's hurt as a judge. Being as she is a hardliner, that kind of personality trait doesn't just suddenly appear. She's more than likely let her personal politics play a part in her rulings.
2
Democrat, Republican...Who cares?
America is so sick of these low-lifes who pose as representatives of the people to their commit crimes .
Lock him up!
Next.
5
Since it was not stated in the article and in case you are wondering, Dean Skelos is a Republican, doing what republicans do, taking care of his family.
10
Margaret- perhaps being from out of state you do not know that Sheldon silver, his compatriot in the other legislative house, was found guilty of much worse, twice as well. Democrat.
You need to stop playing identity politics- crime exists on both sides of the aisle.
3
@Mgaudet
In New York, party affiliation makes no difference: they're all corrupt.
3
I am happy to see that the US is losing its patience with corruption. Convicting corrupt officials is part of what makes the US great -- or at least has done so until recently.
1
At least there is bipartisanship in Albany corruption: Libous, Skelos, Silver, Buffalo Billion, and on and on and on....
5
What about Shelly Silver? Or are Republicans the only ones who are going to be tried and convicted in corrupt Albany?
3
Try reading down to paragraph 8 of this news story.
1
@paul
Why not? They're the ones corrupt.
1
@paul
Sheldon Silver was convicted of corruption in May.
1
How long can we pretend that Andrew Cuomo is not swimming in this cesspool of corruption? He is very much a part of the problem. He is an old school Tammany Hall boss.
12
Yet the DNC will run someone like Cuomo as an alternative to Trump and then will be bewildered in 2020 when Trump gets reelected.
Note to the democrats, running an anti Trump campaign isn't enough. Trump may be reprehensible but at least he is openly reprehensible. It's worse from someone pretending to be decent but in reality is a snake in the grass.
11
@Hellen The president of the United States of America stood next to the Russian President Putin, and threw the U.S. Intelligent Agencies, the Congress and Senate under the bus and and his allegiance behind Putin. This is only a few days after threatening to destroy NATO and degrading Theresa May and Merkel...and whoever else he could at the Summit. These are Putin's wishes....to destroy Democracy, NATO and the EU... and trump is doing his bidding.
2
Politicians & corruption have always gone together like peanut butter & jelly. However, this case is illustrative of something even more common nowadays, millennial entitlement.
4
Corruption? You can't handle corruption. This is minor league stuff.
You want real corruption? Then come to Massachusetts.
5
Ironic that a candidate named Nixon is running against a governor who is one of the-three-in-a-room cast of characters where mischief was on the agenda. Perhaps the governor had his hands over his ears when the deals were cooked.
Is it too much to hope for that lightning will strike for the new Nixon in the primary?
7
They should put a fence around Albany and give everyone 10-20.
5
So here we have multiple Albany politicians being convicted of corruption and the Times' accounts, while factual, all but reserve comment. Ho-hum, just another day in New York politics. Where's the appropriate vitriol that the Times uses every day to go after Trump, whose only crime is that his views on the direction the country should be heading, are different than those of the Times editorial staff?
New York State government has been proven to be hopelessly corrupt. That deserves a lot more media attention. Seems as though this paper should spend a little more time chasing after issues at home.
11
Mario Cuomo got it right. Andrew is in line for POTUS.
1
Some how New Yorkers are to believe that Governor Andrew Cuomo, who shutdown the Moreland Commission, could work closely with all these felons convicted of public corruption, yet not have any direct knowledge of this wrongdoing or act entirely ethically himself? That seems quite hard to believe.
10
@JEG, Oh quite the contrary he is the third man in the room and is as dirty as Shelly and Dean, he cut off the Moreland Commission and he's smart he knows exactly what is going on. He should be the next one to go or be indicted.
I'm sure the President or Kavanaugh will bail the Republican out while Silver, the Democrat gets put away.
They say "everyone is corrupt in Albany", but if you see who gets held accountable, it's generally only the Democrats.
3
It is long past time to put teeth into the sentencing of convicted political creeps. They have to be put in a bad place for a long time and their dietary requirements should be dismissed. I find it darkly amusing that when these creeps are caught they of a sudden become religious fanatics who must have only certain foods and time out of their cells to pray.
3
Not to worry, Trump will pardon them.
3
Looking back over the years, the state legislature is obviously a school for crooks and liars. Member items are now 'concealed' as grants obtained from off-budget, unaccountable state authorities. Republicans and Democrats are responsible for this shady business.
3
Skelos and Silver both found guilty (again!) Now, let’s see how they work the system and “somehow” never serve more than a few days in jail...if they serve any at all!
11
This is nothing but justice delayed. Now he's free at least until sentencing 10/24. Then they'll probably get a date to turn themselves in. Both of them should have been led away in shackles yesterday.
10
Albany is beyond help. Its a total sinkhole. How are we supposed to maintain our faith in our public institutions?
5
@Parker Why doesn't the Times cover Albany more aggressively? Didn't they close the Albany bureau a couple of years ago? There should be a large reporting staff presence to uncover what these crooks have been doing for years.
15
Now imagine if these so called politicians were black. They would be in jail already.
6
On one hand I get it that he was trying to help a son with inherent deficiencies. On the other hand he should have avoided the temptation of enriching himself in the process.
6
A multi billionaire tries to influence the political end game of a Democracy. His is no Friend of mine. The young have no heart in property gain, but life experiences.
1
Term limits for governor. Eight years is plenty—enough for the constituents and enough for the person in office. No one should be in charge for a generation, and that's not even taking into account the fatigue that sets in for the office holder.
17
Mr Cuomo are you reading this? Two words will put it right:
MORELAND COMMISSION
31
@Margo Channing
Sadly, as he has shown time and again - and yet been reelected because of the 'D' after his name - Cuomo couldn't care less.
4
Throw away the key on these duplicitous, money grubbing con artists.
17
And still no ethics reform from Albany! Is New York more corrupt now than Illinois?
36
Depressing. Corruption knows no party.
19
Juries -- a genius of America.
Time to apply them to DJT and his cronies.
15
@MFinn NO not really, they got it wrong on Venditto, OJ. Don't believe in the jury system.
Skelos Jr. get a 6 year job that he will be required to show up for.
32
And that's the way it ends, and it seems that this kind of 'influence' is common. Hope they enjoy the opportunity for introspection. But one cannot expect them to reform themselves at this late age.
7
Great! Throw the bums in jail!!!
I LOVE NY!!
13
Growing up in Nassau County in the 1950-60's the GOP machine political corruption made Boss Tweed look like a Christ figure. They used to run challengers as if they were incumbents under Boss Margiotta and Mondello was a modern more recent version of him. Skelos learned his craft well; he was their apprentice.
5
@samuelclemons Still can't get myself to donate to my alma mater Hofstra U because of its love affair with Margiotta. The building(s) displaying his name are testaments to an illegal 3% taken from every union worker's paycheck, plus unimaginable graft.
4
Spot quiz:
Dean Skelos was one of the Three Men in a Room at the controls of Albany's pay-to-play corruption machine.
Sheldon Silver was one of the Three Men in a Room at the controls of Albany's pay-to-play corruption machine.
Who was the third?
55
@Dotconnector
Pataki or Bruno is the third man.
1
So much for due process
@Dotconnector, Andrew somebody. I think his last name starts with a "C".
I would request that the New York Times never again suggest that Mr. Cuomo is "gearing up" for a 2020 run for president. There is no way that Mr. Cuomo should be doing anything, he is a fraud and the only reason he is governor is due to nepotism and that his daddy was governor.
60
Well now that we have a concise definition of public corruption,
Guilty, again !
12
Good! Now when will Andrew Cuomo, Al Sharton, and various City Council crooks get tried and convicted??
15
Al Sharpton hasn't held elected office for many years.
7
Fellow New Yorkers, this is a wake-up call. As it is with all who have power, it is corrupting.
IMHO, Mario Cuomo's son has had a long enough tenure too. He has been corrupt and lazy for a long time... and only recently is starting to be associated with good causes in hopes of re-election as NYS governor.
Don't do it. Fresh blood. Pre-corruption. Let's give Cynthia Nixon a shot and give her a chance to make us proud New Yorkers again... at least for a while.
62
@MyOpinion Mario Cuomo's son, due to Clinton's generosity, landed the job heading HUD. Look at how well he did! He caused the mortgage and housing crises of the last decade!
https://www.villagevoice.com/2008/08/05/andrew-cuomo-and-fannie-and-fred...
2
Thank you to the jury for finding these two guilty. Public corruption seems to be the norm in Albany, NY and yet no one, not the Governor, not the Legislature wants to tackle this problem.
The taxpayers are the piggy bank and the legislature and Governor just keep coming back for more. I for one have had enough.
The two Mr. Skelos' should do every minute of their sentences., as should Mr. Silver and Mr. Percoco.
35
Can’t wait to see these two in orange jumpsuits. They have done as much as anyone to make Long Island a cesspool of corruption and a haven for high taxes.
32
So now several of Cuomo's closest cronies have been convicted of corruption. When do we begin to acknowledge that a fish rots from the head down and Cuomo is the head. I'm am tired of these articles about Albany corruption and how "Cuomo was not connected to any evidence" or "accused of wrongdoing." Are we really supposed to believe that Cuomo is just an innocent bystander in a state government overflowing with corrupt characters that he is in charge of? Give me a break. If these criminals want to fall on their sword for the chief that's on them, but we the people should demand answers. And if on the slim chance that Cuomo really didn't know what the people he worked so closely with were doing, that means he is too incompetent to be governor of NY and should be forced to resign or at least convinced not to run for reelection. Let the people chose from a pool of candidates not tainted with the stink of corruption and bribery. Where are the NY Dems? It's bad enough Cuomo is really a Democrat in name only. It's time for change.
47
@wcdessertgirl
"Are we really supposed to believe that Cuomo is just an innocent bystander"? No of course not, he's possibly had his hand in the cookie jar for a good long time. But... you can believe that he's smart enough not to get caught like the others, and seems to know what he's doing when he's breaking the law. That's cynical as all get out, I admit, but true.
These same people give working class and poor people lectures on pulling themselves up by their own bootstraps and how they shouldn't rely on "entitlements" they often worked for.
Yet very often their privileged private school supposedly superior offspring get cushy 6 figure jobs ranging from reporters to consultants or other jobs I never saw listed at any college.
70
NYS needs to do what the town of Greenburgh did in 2007-- the Town Board approved a local law prohibiting incumbent officials from accepting campaign contributions from developers, contractors and consultants who appear before the town--and from those who benefit from town business. Albany elected officials are preoccupied with raising money from those who stand to benefit from their actions. It's legalized bribery. Legalized bribery eventually leads to more corruption in government. If a lobbyist donates to a campaign and holds a fundraiser, don't you think it will influence a legislative decision?
PAUL FEINER
Greenburgh NY Town Supervisor
85
@PAUL FEINER
Similar laws have been passed in NJ and they just laugh at the laws. It just led to the growth of more LLC companies and good luck tracing who really owns the company.
12
PAUL FEINER--This is why we need publicly financed campaigns, with caps on fundraising and spending, and donations no bigger than $2500. It will eliminate a lot of lobbyists, and graft. This is why we need a Constitutional convention to make political bribery (Citizens United) illegal, regardless of the bought, politicized SCOTUS. Write your officials, and ask them to agree to a convention.
39
@PAUL FEINER
There it is, in a nutshell: LEGALIZED BRIBERY. Thank you, Mr. Feiner, for the crystal-clear description.
HOWEVER:
-- The Assembly refuses to ban legalized bribery.
-- The State Senate refuses to ban legalized bribery.
-- And the governor refuses to ban legalized bribery -- so much so that, in a panic, he abruptly pulled the plug on the Moreland anti-corruption commission when its investigation dared to start pulling back the curtains in the whited sepulchers of state government's elected officials and their pay-to-play donors.
But the question remains: What are the citizens of New York -- namely the voters -- going to do about it? Keep allowing state officials to have their "legalized" slush funds? Keep sending the Usual Suspects back to Albany?
And just after Preet Bharara began getting beneath the surface of this appallingly scandalous system, he was fired. Welcome to Donald Trump's and Andrew Cuomo's shared belief in l'état, c'est moi .
6
So, it took 2 times, but we finally got Skelos and Silver...the tips of the iceberg of corruption that is the Empire State.
Now how about Cuomo? What was his anti-corruption commission, the Moreland Commission, zeroing in on when Andy shut it down? Are we doing any investigative reporting in that direction? We don't have Preet Bharara around, anymore, to police Albany; Cuomo can't be trusted.
84
@DaveG
I still want to know his son qualified to be a reporter. These stations and papers hire nothing but the offspring of the rich and powerful. Then they wonder why their polls are so wrong , they have no idea how the average person thinks , what they worry about or how they vote. More and more America is staring to resemble France just before the revolution.
9
@Hellen
Cuomo doesn't have a son; it's his *brother* (Chris) who's a (t.v.) journalist. I think it's a little obvious that Chris Cuomo looks much too old to be Andrew's son....
When will sentencing occur?
The article should have mentioned this, as well as what the likely sentence will be.
15
@Space needle
It is in the article. October 24 is sentencing and they were been sentenced to 5 and 6 1/2 years, respectively following the previously overturned conviction. I hope the judge gives them the max. We need to send a clear message that corrupt officials will not be let off the hook with a slap on the wrist.
23
Clearly stated within the piece.
7
@Space needle
October 24th. Third paragraph before the end.
What a shocking development, a New York State politician convicted for a second time of bribery, extortion, and conspiracy ! LOL. Is there anyone in the state capitol anyone outside the state capitol would trust in any capacity?
Skelos joins fellow contemptible Sheldon Silver as twice convicted felons. With both sides of the aisle accounted for, the executive branch added their own when Cuomo's "point person" for economic development was convicted of bid-rigging. Kaloyeros apparently had misinterpreted his job description as believing it meant his own personal economic development. If it wasn't so humorous just watching it all play out, it might be depressing. But this is a mere side show to the ten ring circus in Washington we call "our government".
30
Will Silver or Skelos ever go to jail? I believe in the right to appeal and all the way to the Supreme Court if they agree to take it up but isn't it also true that Justice delayed is justice denied. Our judicial system should not proceed at rocket speed but also should not be slow as molasses.
16
@alan brown
Agreed, that is the question. I have a very hard time
visualizing Skelos or Silver in an orange jumpsuit.
They will appeal and drag this out forever.
7
Two words. "Term Limits." Enough with career politicians who use their long tenure to line their pockets.
22
New York State politics is a snake den at best. Special interests, lobbyists, and good ‘ole boys rule the day. Crushing taxes causes a constant exodus of youth from the state. Liberal nanny laws try to control what we eat, drink, and smoke. And in the center of it all is the Governor and his cronies.
8