Former New York Democratic State Sen. Malcolm Smith was sentenced Wednesday to seven years in prison in a scheme to bribe his way onto the ballot for the 2013 New York City Mayoral election.
U.S. District Judge Kenneth Karas agreed with the defense that unlike other recent public corruption cases, there was no evidence Mr. Smith ever lined his own pockets. But the judge called his crime no less serious, saying, "What makes this case different from the others was the corruption of the process."
At the trial in suburban White Plains, prosecutors told jurors that Mr. Smith wanted to be mayor but also was eager to avoid a Democratic mayoral primary in 2013. So the onetime Senate minority leader instead decided to obtain the backing of Republican leaders in three boroughs, which would allow him to run for the GOP line, and authorized bribes totaling about $200,000 to do it, prosecutors said.
The jury saw video recordings from a sting operation of transactions that prosecutors said were bribes. They also heard testimony from an FBI informant identified only as "Raj" who had posed as a wealthy real estate developer and was in on meetings involving Mr. Smith and Republican leaders.
In imposing the sentence, the judge reponded: "If Mr. Smith had said 'no' to the scoundrel we wouldn't be here."
Afterward, Mr. Smith left without speaking to reporters. His lawyer said there would be an appeal.
A co-defendant convicted at the same trial of receiving bribes and witness tampering, former Queens Republican Vice Chairman Vincent Tabone, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison at a separate proceeding Wednesday.
Of four other politicians who were arrested with Mr. Smith and Mr. Tabone, two have been convicted and two have pleaded guilty.
Mr. Smith was ordered to surrender to prison Sept. 21.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
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