Lawyers are offering a federal jury two starkly different portrayals of former New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver — one as a symbol of greed and corruption; the other as a respected politician who had a just to make money external his political profession.
Prosecutor Carrie Cohen pointed across the courtroom Tuesday toward Silver and accused the once-powerful Democrat of making $5 million through kickbacks from developers.
Defense attorney Steven Molo countered by describing Silver as a champion of tenants,not developers. He insisted his client's external income as an attorney was legal.
Silver has pleaded not guilty in a case that has increased scrutiny of politicians in Albany, where power has long been concentrated in the hands of the Assembly speaker, and the Senate president and the governor.
Source: wnyc.org