NY State Assembly Speaker Silver likely to be arrested

Ben Sales

(JTA) — New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver will likely face arrest on corruption charges.

Silver, according to the New York Times, could be arrested Thursday for allegedly receiving payments from a law firm, Goldberg & Iryami, without properly disclosing them. The arrest stems from an anti-corruption investigation begun by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2013.

Silver is a Democratic state assemblyman from Manhattan’s Lower East Side, and has earned a reputation as a powerful leader of New York’s Democrats during more than two decades serving as speaker of the Assembly.

Silver was reelected as speaker this month. He would be able to continue serving if arrested, but would have to resign if convicted.

Silver practices as an attorney outside of his duties as a politician. In 2013, according to the Times, Silver earned a total income of $650,000.