Former New York City Council Member DANIEL HALLORAN was sentenced today in White Plains federal court to 10 years in prison in connection with his role in arranging the bribery of New York City Republican leaders to allow New York State Senator Malcolm Smith, a Democrat, to run as a Republican candidate for New York City Mayor in 2013, and accepting a $15,000 cash bribe in exchange for designating up to $80,000 in New York City funds to a non-profit entity that would allow the money to be embezzled through a no-show job. HALLORAN was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Karas, who presided over the two-month trial that resulted in HALLORAN’S conviction in August 2014.
U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: “When elected officials, like Daniel Halloran, not only corrupt themselves but, unseen, corrupt the body politic from within they undermine the public’s confidence in a representative form of government. I would like to thank our law enforcement partners at the FBI and the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office for working with us to ensure that the defendant was pursued, prosecuted, and faced justice.”
In addition to the prison term, HALLORAN, 42, of Queens, New York, was also sentenced to two years of supervised release, and ordered to forfeit $45,300. HALLORAN’s co-conspirators, Smith and Tabone, were convicted for their roles in the bribery conspiracy in January 2015 and are currently scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Karas on July 1, 2015.
In the sentencing of HALLORAN, Judge Karas remarked, “This was a very serious crime. When a public official gets into cars and takes wads of cash or promises public money in return for cash to the politician, it is so troubling. It causes us all to be cynical about our leaders. It causes us to doubt that our leaders are looking after us. And it's a very serious matter.”
