He served 14 years in the state Senate, rising to majority leader, and was once one of the most powerful politicians in the state. But today, Malcolm Smith was convicted of bribery. NY1’s Courtney Gross filed the following report.
In 2009, Malcolm Smith took the reins of the state Senate as majority leader.
On Thursday, the former majority leader was found guilty of bribery.
After deliberating for about four hours, a jury in federal court in White Plains convicted Smith of orchestrating a bribery scheme to get his own name on the 2013 ballot, finding the Democrat paid off Republican county leaders so he could try to run for mayor on the GOP line.
Jurors did not say much after they reached a verdict.
"I think the verdict speaks for itself,” said one juror.
Smith was found guilty along with one of those Republican leaders, former Queens GOP Vice Chairman Vincent Tabone.
"We are disappointed in the outcome and we think the evidence did not show what the government claims it did,” said Sam Braverman, Tabone’s attorney.
The case rocked New York's political world back in 2013 when Smith along with five others were arrested in the elaborate scheme to rig the race for mayor.
Since then, the case has had its own share of theatrics, including a mistrial last summer.
In the end, there was undercover video showing cash bribes paid in a dimly lit car and Smith talking about securing GOP leaders support for his doomed mayoral candidacy in a hotel room.
"Let's just say for instance you have a business arrangement with all five of them and you are doing business with them. That's none of my business,” Smith said in the video.
All of that convinced the jury these two should head to prison. While both of their attorneys say they plan on appealing. For now, both Smith and Tabone are facing decades behind bars.
Do they plan to appeal?
"Yes of course,” said Gerald Shargel, Smith’s attorney.
Both Smith and Tabone will be back in court in July for sentencing.