State Sen. John Sampson of Brooklyn is expected to be charged with obstruction of justice Monday in connection with a bribery scheme involving a former state senator who secretly recorded conversations with him.

Sampson, a former leader of the Democratic caucus, allegedly approached former state Sen. Shirley Huntley on behalf of a businessman who was offering bribes in exchange for help in expanding his business at Kennedy International Airport, the New York Times reports.

According to court documents, Huntley accepted $1,000 from the unnamed businessman as she reached out to airport officials on his behalf for two months last year, the Times reports.

The documents mention a state senator set up the initial meeting. Sources say the state senator is Sampson.

Huntley, who pleaded guilty to stealing taxpayer money through a charity organization she was running, agreed to cooperate with federal agents and record conversations with a number of elected officials.

The post State Sen. Sampson to be charged in corruption scandal appeared first on Metro.us.

More than 80 percent of New York voters expect more arrests among state lawmakers, a new poll showed.

The Siena College poll also revealed that nine of 10 voters believe corruption in the state legislature is a serious problem. Forty-one percent believe it’s a “very serious” problem.

The results came the same month that state Sen. Malcolm Smith was arrested for attempting to bribe his way onto the Republican mayoral ballot. Just days later, Assemblyman Eric Stevenson of the Bronx was arrested in a separate bribery scandal.

According to the poll, voters overwhelmingly support legislative term limits 82-17 percent. They also favor limiting candidates to one party line 55-40 percent, and they support having full-time state lawmakers with no outside jobs 54-42 percent.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s favorability rating dipped slightly to 62 percent this month, down from 64 percent in March.

The post Poll: Voters expect more politician arrests appeared first on Metro.us.

State Sen. Malcolm Smith was formally indicted by a federal grand jury Thursday for allegedly trying to bribe his way onto this year’s mayoral ballot.

Smith was arrested by FBI agents April 2 for allegedly scheming with Queens Councilman Dan Halloran, a Republican, to bribe the GOP party in order to get Smith on the Republican ballot for mayor. As a Democrat, Smith needed the support of at least three Republican county chairmen to get on the ballot.

Halloran and party leaders Joseph Savino of the Bronx and Vincent Tabone of Queens were also named in the indictment. Smith and Halloran face 45 years in prison if convicted of the charges, the New York Post reports.

The councilman allegedly set up meetings with the party leaders to negotiate thousands of dollars in bribes, while keeping some of the money for himself.

Spring Valley Mayor Noramie Jasmin and Deputy Mayor Joseph Desmaret were also indicted Thursday for taking money and property in a related bribery scheme.

The post State Sen. Malcolm Smith indicted in bribery plot appeared first on Metro.us.

Legislators in Albany have apparently taken to playfully “frisking” one another, according to a New York Times report.

The practice comes at a time when several lawmakers have been indicted on federal charges of corruption, and were caught due to incriminating conversations recorded on wires worn by colleagues.

“You run into them, and you feel them up and down,” said Queens Assemblyman David Weprin.

All four lawmakers involved in the recent corruption scandals hail from the five boroughs of New York City. They are also all Democrats.

Queens Sen. Malcolm Smith is charged with bribery in an attempt to run for city mayor.

Two assemblymen from the Bronx, Eric Stevenson and Nelson Castro, are also in hot water. Steveson is accused of taking bribes from developers of adult day care centers in his district. Castro resigned in a deal where he agreed, in exchange for avoiding prosecution for perjury, to wear a wire to record conversations with fellow lawmakers.

And Brooklyn Assemblyman William Boyland was recently taken in for bribery, among several other charges.

Weprin, a Democrat, noted the need to “make light of” the situation, as other Congress members similarly complained of the frustration caused by their allegedly felonious colleagues.

“These people make our lives impossible,” said state Sen. Martin Dilan, reportedly over a game of darts and some drinks with a fellow senator, 28-year-old Rafael Espinal. The two both hail from Brooklyn.

Espinal agreed: “We’re all angry. We’re angry at the fact that we have to, the good ones or most of us, deal with the backlash.”

Follow Danielle Tcholakian on Twitter @danielleiat

The post Albany lawmakers defuse tension with playful ‘frisking’ appeared first on Metro.us.

New York State Sen. Malcolm Smith and City Councilman Dan Halloran were arrested at their homes Tuesday morning in connection with a bribery scheme involving the upcoming mayoral race, according to the FBI.

The two politicians allegedly tried to get Smith on the GOP ballot in the mayoral race by offering money to Republican county chairmen.

Two Republican county chairmen, Joseph Savino of the Bronx and Vincent Tabone of Queens, have also been arrested.

Prosecutors are expected to detail the charges at a news conference later today.

Also arrested Tuesday were Noramie Jasmin, the mayor of Spring Valley in Rockland County, and her deputy mayor, Joseph Desmaret.

FBI Assistant Director George Venizelos said in a statement, “Public officials should obey the law. As alleged, these defendants did not obey the law; they broke the law and the public trust. There is a price to pay for that kind of betrayal.”

The post NY State Senator and City Councilman arrested in bribery scheme appeared first on Metro.us.