At times it sure looks like the bad guys are winning and nothing ever changes.  How else can one explain how a pathological liar like Hillary Clinton can be considered to be a viable candidate for President of the United States?  But, then there are those times when right actually does prevail.  Anyone remotely familiar with New York politics knows all about Sheldon Silver.  Everyone knew he was corrupt, but it didn’t seem to matter.  He was the ultimate Teflon man.  But then a miracle happened.  A new U.S. Attorney, Preet Bharara, arrived on scene who didn’t realize that he had no chance of convicting someone like Sheldon Silver.  This time, it looks like the good guys won a big one.

This wasn’t exactly the outcome most people expected.  Just last week a jury acquitted Vincent Asaro, who may have been the inspiration for the Godfather.  His defense argued, successfully, that the witnesses against him were professional liars willing to saying anything in exchange for leniency.  Even the Sheldon Silver case looked bad when jurors started asking to be excused.  But, that is not the end of the story.  On November 30, 2015 Sheldon Silver was found guilty of federal corruption charges.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/01/nyregion/sheldon-silver-guilty-corruption-trial.html?_r=1

“the charges of honest services fraud, extortion and money laundering stemmed from schemes by which he obtained nearly $4 million in exchange for using his position to help benefit a cancer researcher and two real estate developers.”

Here is what his defense lawyers argued, unsuccessfully:

“They look at conduct which is legal,” Mr. Molo told the jury in his opening statement, “conduct which is normal, conduct which allows government to function consistent with the way that our founding fathers of the State of New York wanted it to function, and they say this is illegal.”

Hmm.  Can you think of anyone else who has been “helping people” in exchange for “contributions?”  Shelton Silver will not be the first person too big to fail that ended up in jail.  He also won’t be the last.  Look for the Silver lining.

TDM