'Corridor of Corruption' Involves White Plains

Charges in a federal corruption probe against Bronx Republican Party Chairman Jay Savino have also led to charges against the mayor and deputy mayor of Spring Valley, the U.S. Attorney's Office says.

Savino, who has an influential White Plains law firm, was hired by the Town of Clarkstown to handle its property tax litigation matters.

A 28-page complaint unsealed by the U.S. Attorney's Office this morning reveals a corruption investigation that includes state Sen. Malcolm Smith and New York City Council member Dan Halloran. The complaint includes Spring Valley Mayor Noramie Jasmin and Deputy Mayor Joseph Desmaret, and Savino and Queens County Republican Party Vice Chairman Vincent Tabone.

The charges include bribery, extortion, and wire and mail fraud.

“Today’s charges demonstrate, once again, that a show-me-the-money culture seems to pervade every level of New York government," said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Preet Bharara this morning. "The complaint describes an unappetizing smorgasbord of graft and greed involving six officials who together built a corridor of corruption stretching from Queens and the Bronx to Rockland County and all the way up to Albany itself. As alleged, Senator Malcolm Smith tried to bribe his way to a shot at Gracie Mansion – Smith drew up the game plan and Councilman Halloran essentially quarterbacked that drive by finding party chairmen who were wide open to receiving bribes. After the string of public corruption scandals that we have brought to light, many may rightly resign themselves to the sad truth that perhaps the most powerful special interest in politics is self-interest. We will continue pursuing and punishing every corrupt official we find, but the public corruption crisis in New York is more than a prosecutor’s problem.” 

The Rockland County corruption charges, according to federal court papers, involved bribery in connection with a real estate project in Spring Valley.

The New York City corruption charges stem from efforts to get state Sen. Malcolm A. Smith, a Democrat, the necessary paperwork to run on the Republican Party line in the New York City mayoral race.

Malcolm was arraigned Tuesday in White Plains, where he left the court house in a hurry—and declined any sort of statement, even while reporters questioned him if he would resign his post.