In a six
count indictment released by the United States Attorney, State
Senator Malcolm Smith, Queens Councilman Dan Halloran, Bronx County
Republican Leader Jay Savino, and Queens county Republican Vice-Chair
Vincent Tabone were arrested this morning for attempting to fix the
Republican candidate choice in the upcoming mayors race in New York
City by defrauding the public. Also as part of the indictment the
mayor and deputy mayor of Spring Valley were arrested for their part
in a scheme with Senator Smith to defraud New York State on a
contract Smith was to have approved with the officials for a Spring
Valley road.
Starting
from about November 2012 the complaint states that Smith, Hallogan,
Savino, and Tabone (together with others known and unknown) willfully
and knowingly did combine, conspire, confederate, and agree together
with each other to commit offenses against the United States, to wit,
wire fraud and bribery in violation of Title 18, United States code,
sections 1343, 1346, and 1952.
Time-line-
Nov. 2012 - Undercover FBI agent (Thomas Holmes) posing as a wealth
real estate developer and an unidentified cooperating witness met
with Smith to bribe leaders of the Republican Party County Committee
to obtain certificates of authorization called Wilson Pakula
certificates allowing Smith to run as a Republican candidate for
mayor of New York City even though Smith was a registered Democrat.
It is then stated that Queens Councilman Dan Halloran met with the
pair to negotiate the amount of bribes to Savino and Tabone for the
Wilson Pakula certificates, and Halloran was given $20,500.00 for his
services.
Feb 2013-
Smith agrees to use his official position to obtain New York State
funds for the Spring Valley Project. Savino meets the UC in a
Manhattan restaurant and accepts $15,000.00 in cash in the UC's car.
Tabone meets the UC in a Manhattan restaurant and accepts $25,000.00
in cash in the UC's car. Also in February Smith suggested that the UC
and the state senator representing the Spring Valley area meet
concerning the funding for the Spring Valley project.
March 2013-
Telephone and text messages continue between the UC, CW, Smith, and
Halloran as to the status of the Wilson Pakulas. Smith is quoted as
saying “before any committee leader receives a nickle more (he'd)
have to on the Empire State Building and drop every person (he)
endorsed, and hold Malcolm up and say he's the best thing since
sliced bread”. “Matter of fact, he's better than sliced bread”.
April 2013-
The arrest of Smith, Halloran, Savino, Tabone, the mayor and deputy
mayor of Spring Valley.
The entire
28 page indictment can be found at
http://www.scribd.com/doc/133591161/Smith-Malcolm-Et-Al-Complaint-Signed
.
