Silver’s biggest crime

Of course Shelly Silver was again convicted of all seven federal charges in a replay of his 2015 corruption trial. The deposed and disgraced once all-powerful speaker of the state Assembly was guilty of the same crimes then that he is guilty of now. Namely, pocketing almost $4 million in return for moving the levers of government to benefit a cancer researcher at Columbia University and two real estate developers.

The verdict is a heartening sign that, even after the 2016 Supreme Court ruling overturning the conviction of ex-Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, which defined democratic deviancy down by loosening the definition of what constitutes an “official act,” true political corruption can be proved in court.

The last time around, U.S. District Judge Valerie Caproni sentenced Silver to 12 years in the hoosegow, a $1.75 million fine and to forfeit $5.3 million. Considering that he got to collect his state pension for a few years while he appealed his case, she might consider a tougher punishment.

Unless Silver and his lawyers have any more excuses, Silver will soon be spending the rest of his earthly time in public service, making license plates.

Official records will show that Silver was felled for two counts of honest services wire fraud, two counts of honest services mail fraud, two counts of extortion under color of official right and one count of engaging in illegal monetary transactions. His biggest crime was kneecapping decent government in the once great State of New York.