Corruption has a ‘Silver’ lining: gov

He might be a crook, but Sheldon Silver sure knew how to ram through state budgets.

Gov. Cuomo curiously paid a compliment to the disgraced former Assembly speaker on Sunday, praising Silver — who was convicted last year on corruption charges that could send him to prison for 15 years — for having kept “total control” of state Democrats.

Radio host John Catsimatidis asked Cuomo how working with current lawmakers compared to the reign of Silver and former state Sen. Majority Leader Dean Skelos. Skelos has also been convicted on federal corruption charges.

“Shelly Silver was ultimately indicted and is . . . looking for a final sentencing agreement,” Cuomo said in the AM 970 chat.

“But he was a longtime Albany pro. He had been speaker for a long time. He was either the longest-serving speaker or one of the longest-serving speakers. So he had total control over the conference. They did what he said. Period. So this is a different day and a different group.”

A federal jury convicted Silver of corruption in 2015. The Manhattan Democrat was sentenced to 12 years in prison in 2016, but he is free pending appeal.

Cuomo didn’t offer any such praise for Skelos.

The delay in this year’s state budget stems from congressional hostility that amounts to a “war” on New York state, Cuomo said.

“That was a big sticking point in [our] budget,” Cuomo said. “I don’t know what is going to happen this year . . . A lot of people in Congress have declared war on New York.”

The governor said a combination of factors — including federal reforms that could eliminate deductions for state and local taxes, and a potential $6 billion hit that the state could take if Congress passes a health-care overhaul — sowed confusion in the budget process.

He said the state budget includes a “federal financial response mechanism” that gives “my administration the authority to implement a [budget] plan if we get cut.”

Overall, Cuomo praised the $153.1 billion budget as one that benefits the middle class through tax cuts, tuition help and controlling property-tax increases.

“This agenda was structured around helping the middle class, because the middle class feels it’s left out,” he said. “We hear you. We hear your tension and anger, and the state is behind you.”

[Silver] had total control over the conference. They did what he said. Period. So this is a different day and a different group. — Gov.Cuomo(left)