NY Senate Leader Surrenders in Federal Probe

Just months after the state's top Democrat lawmaker was indicted, federal prosecutors charged the top Republican with bribery and extortion.

Dean Skelos, 67, the leader of the New York Senate, surrendered Monday to face charges including extortion and soliciting bribes. Investigators said they captured him on wiretaps boasting of his power after they started looking into the awarding of a $12 million contract to a company that hired his son .

Skelos of Long Island and his 32-year-old son, Adam, surrendered at the FBI's offices in lower Manhattan as a criminal complaint was unsealed against them in federal court.

At a news conference announcing the charges, U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara alleged that Skelos's "support for certain infrastructure projects and legislation was often based, not on what was good for his constituents or good for New York, but rather on what was good for his son's bank account."

In a statement, Skelos said he expected to be exonerated at trial.

"I am innocent of the charges leveled against me. I am not saying I am just not guilty, I am saying that I am innocent," he said. A lawyer for his son did not immediately return a message seeking comment.

Authorities said Skelos — New York state's most powerful Republican official — has used his position as a carrot since at least 2010, taking official actions in return for payments to his son.

The complaint said Skelos bragged to his son recently in one conversation after he was re-elected majority leader in January, a post he shared with another senator from 2011 to 2013: "I'm going to be president of the Senate. I'm going to be majority leader. I'm going to control everything."

The charges were unveiled four months after former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, D-Manhattan, was charged with accepting nearly $4 million in payoffs. Silver, maintaining his innocence, gave up his leadership post but is keeping his legislative seat as he fights the charges. Earlier this month, Silver's son-in-law was charged in a $7 million Ponzi scheme.

Bharara, who has called Albany a "cauldron of corruption," told a news conference that the case was further proof that "public corruption is a deep-seated problem in New York State. It is a problem in both chambers. It is a problem on both sides of the aisle."

But the prosecutor also appeared more cautious with his remarks in the wake of a ruling by a federal judge recently that criticized him for overdoing the publicity surrounding Silver's January arrest.

"Let me emphasize at the outset that these are only charges," he said. "The complaint contains allegations only, and both defendants are absolutely presumed innocent unless and until those allegations are proven beyond a reasonable doubt, which is what we intend to do."

The complaint said Skelos used his position to extort money from others, including hundreds of thousands of dollars from a senior executive of a major real estate development firm who was cooperating with the government.

Skelos promoted and voted for real estate legislation sought by the developer, including some pertaining to rent regulation and property tax abatements, the complaint said.

Skelos said last month he was cooperating fully and would not resign his leadership post. He's hired an attorney in response to the investigation, which focuses on whether Skelos influenced Nassau County's decision to award a 2013 contract to Arizona-based AbTech.

Adam Skelos worked for the company as a consultant. The complaint said AbTech, which was only identified as an "Environmental Technology Company," more than doubled its monthly payment to Adam Skelos after the $12 million contract was approved.

AbTech has said it is cooperating with authorities and is not considered a target in the probe. The company did not immediately return a message seeking comment Monday.