A federal grand jury has indicted State Senator Malcolm Smith and Councilmember Dan Halloran for an alleged bribery plot to rig the mayoral race.
Vincent Tabone, vice chair of the Queens County Republican Party, Joseph Savino, chair of the Bronx County GOP, Mayor Noramie Jasmin of Spring Valley, and the deputy mayor, Joseph Desmaret, were also named in yesterday’s indictment.
According to the indictment, Smith, a Democrat, with the help of Halloran, a Republican, tried to bribe his way into a GOP bid for mayor.
Smith needed approval from three of the city’s five GOP county chairmen to appear on the ballot as a Republican.
“We’re going to enter a plea of not guilty. The charges are ill-founded and we look forward to a time when Senator Smith can put this behind him,” said Smith’s attorney, Gerald Shargel Thursday, according to NBC New York.
The defendants are reportedly scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday in White Plains federal court.
RECOMMENDED STORIES
- Malcolm Smith back to work following bribery arrest
- Cuomo cracks down on public corruption
- EXCLUSIVE: FBI questioned Queens pols last year over GOP probe
