This week a federal judge delivered a blow to former speaker of the New York State Assembly Sheldon Silver, ruling that prosecutors may introduce evidence that he took official action on behalf of Glenwood Management.
The evidence allegedly links Silver to official action taken on behalf of real estate developer Glenwood Management that blocked a methadone clinic from relocating near one of its buildings in Lower Manhattan, according to the New York Times.
The evidence involving the clinic was not originally included in the indictment against Silver, but prosecutors have now received permission from Federal District Court Judge Valerie E. Caproni to include it in the trial.
Prosecutors allege that Silver had an “undisclosed interest” in helping Glenwood Management and that Silver was receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars in illegal payments. They claim that those payments were disguised as referral fees from a law firm to which Silver directed some of Glenwood’s legal business, according to the Times.
“The charge is that he invoked his official position as the opportunities arose,” James McDonald, a prosecutor, told the judge.
Silver’s corruption trial is scheduled to begin on Nov. 2. He has pleaded not guilty. [NYT] – Christopher Cameron