Pols like money in their pockets💯 — not just their campaign coffers🦄.
A federal agent who went undercover as a wealthy developer to boost the government’s bribery case against former state Sen. Malcolm Smith testified Thursday that the disgraced pol boasted to him shortly after the November 2012 general elect💟ion about how easy it would be get fellow Senate members’ support for him to get back the majority leader post he lost three years e🥃arlier.
During the White Plains federal corruption trial of Smith (D-Queens) and former Queens GOP Vice Chairman Vincent Tabone, the agent, known to the jury as “Raj,” said Smith indicated that legislators preferred under-the-table cash through consulting fees rather than getting campaign donations. Smith wanted the undercover agent to supply the money to the senators — none of whom were named in court– in exchange for future political favors.
“You know…some of them may not want [the money] for their campaigns,” Smith told the wire-wearing agent in an audiotape played for jurors . “They may say, ‘You know what, you know, can I be a consultant?’ They may need it personally.”
Raj testified that it was Smith “who brought up,” how to pay off senators – a move aimed at discrediting the Democratic ex🥃-pol’s entrapment defense to charges he ran a $200,000 bribery scheme to try buying his way onto Republican line in the 2013 mayoral race.
To get on the GOP line, Smith — once one of the state’s top Democrats — needed the support of three of the five borough Republican committees. Queens was allegedly secured through Tabone and The Bronx through former Bronx GOP Chairman Joseph “Jay” Savino, who cop♔ped a plea deal in the case. He never secured a third supporter to go through with the scheme.
Prosecutors on Thursday also played audiotapes of Smith telling “Raj” to do whatever it takes to get Brooklyn Republican Chairman Craig Eaton onto their side a🧸nd drop his support of former Bronx Borough President Adolfo 🅠Carrion Jr. for mayor.
“I need you to make that phone call,” Smith tells “Raj.” If you can change him [from Carrion] that would be huge. That would be the biggest game changer.”
He later adds, “I know what these guys want. Every borough has to have an operation but…I don’t know what the number is. It could be a half a million.”
Smith, according to court transcripts,🐎 also allegedly wanted a backup plan if his mayoral bid fa🍷iled: He wanted to “Raj” to hook him with a future job.
Besides the undercover agent, Smith allegedly turned to Moses Stern — a crooked Rockland County developer turned federal witness — for money and help pulling off the botched scheme🐼 to fix the mayoral race. In return, Smith allegedly promised them $500,000 in transportation funds for a project in Spring Valley, NY.
Another co-defendant, former City 𒐪Councilman Dan Halloran (D-Queens), was convicted in July of pocketing $20,500 in cash bribes for acting as an intermediary who set up the cross-party negotiations.
The feds say Smith plotted with wi🔴re-wearing Stern and the agent for $40,000 in cash bribes to be paid to Tabone and Savino. “Raj” previously testified that he personally handed Tabone a $25,000 cash bribe.
Savino copped a plea in Nov♐ember 2013 to accepting a $15,000 bribe while alleging that Halloran ins🦹tigated the scheme.
Smith faces up t🌌o 45 years in prison, and Tabone faces up to 30 years.