Not Just Democrats Who Are Corrupt In New York

With all that Wall Street cash buying friends, it's no wonder that long-time NY State Assembly Speaker, Democrat Sheldon Silver, was charged with federal corruption counts back in January. Now in May, the other shoe falls as the GOP State Senate Majority leader, Dean Skelos, is facing federal corruption charges along with his son Adam.

Skelos, a 67-year-old Republican, and his 32-year-old son, Adam, were named in a six-count criminal complaint filed in Manhattan federal court that included charges of conspiracy and extortion. 

Prosecutors said Skelos pressured a real estate developer and an environmental technology company to pay his son more than $200,000 in exchange for his support on infrastructure and legislation. 

The men surrendered to the FBI on Monday morning and were expected to appear in court later in the day. Their lawyers did not respond to requests for comment.

The case marked another blow to Albany, a capital that in the last decade has seen 22 legislators charged for corruption, according to New York University Law School's Brennan Center for Justice.

Congrats, New York, you've set a new milestone in the jackass Olympics: you've managed to make New Jersey and Illinois look good.

Then-New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, a Democrat, was himself was charged with corruption offenses in January, making this the first time leaders of both of New York's legislative chambers were simultaneously facing charges. 

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said Skelos's case showed that "public corruption is a deep-seated problem" in New York. 

Monday's complaint built upon evidence secured by authorities through cooperating witnesses, wire taps and search warrants.

We'll see where both of these cases go, but I'm betting running as a State Assembly or State Senate incumbent is going to be bad news in the Empire State come 2016.