New York – Doctor Testifies Against Ex-NY Assembly Speaker At Trial

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    Former New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver exits the Manhattan U.S. District Courthouse in New York, November 3, 2015. REUTERSNew York -A prominent Columbia University doctor told a federal jury on Wednesday that he agreed to refer asbestos cancer patients to former New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver’s law firm so it could seek multimillion-dollar settlements from lawsuits.

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    Afterward, Silver directed $500,000 in state grants to a research center at the school in the early 2000s, Dr. Robert Taub testified at the once-powerful Democrat’s corruption trial in Manhattan.

    “I gave referrals to Mr. Silver to maintain a relationship whereby he would help mesothelioma research and help these patients,” said Taub, who also admitted that he lied to investigators when they first asked him about the referrals.

    Prosecutors allege that the arrangement described by one of their star witnesses amounted to a bribery scheme that helped the 71-year-old Silver earn $5 million in illicit income during his two-decade reign as speaker. Silver’s lawyers claim overzealous prosecutors are attempting to criminalize how politics is practiced in Albany.

    Taub, 79, told jurors during the trial’s second day that he believed it was part of his mission to raise money for mesothelioma research.

    “I was put on this earth to help these people,” he said. “That’s the way I feel about it. … You can’t do research without money.”

    Taub testified that he knew referrals were “very valuable” to law firms like Silver’s that specialize in asbestos litigation, and believed the firms had a social obligation to donate to research. When a mutual friend informed him that Silver wanted him to refer patients to the firm, he saw an opportunity for a mutually beneficial relationship, he said.

    Once Taub began referring the first of what turned out to be dozens of patients to Silver, the assemblyman encouraged him to write him a letter asking for state money for his research center. Soon after, the doctor received the first of two $250,000 grants.

    He testified that Silver asked him not to reveal the arrangement to their mutual friend, telling the jury, “He just wanted it kept between me and him.”

    The witness described how a few months before Silver’s 2015 arrest, two federal agents showed up at his door at 6 a.m. and asked if he had referred asbestos victims to Silver.

    “I denied doing so because I was fearful and panicked, and I irrationally wanted to divorce myself from any pending investigation,” he said.

    Taub testified that he later came clean and agreed to testify under a non-prosecution agreement.

    Once news of the doctor’s involvement in the case broke, Columbia tried to fire him, he said. He sued the school to get his job back and has been reinstated pending the outcome of the case, he said.

    Silver has pleaded not guilty to bribery and other charges. His trial is expected to last at least a month.


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    12 Comments
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    8 years ago

    How can anyone believe an admitted liar like this Dr. Taub? Oh yeah this is America, where people aren’t ashamed to ignore a potential presidential nominee’s lies and immorality either,,,,

    sane
    sane
    8 years ago

    500k to cancer research. Why is that a crime?

    8 years ago

    Yes it kind of doesn’t really sound so damming. Yes ok so silver steers money to vital cancer research. I think we all agree thats a good thing. In exchange noone ever stole money rather clients were “refered” to his firm. In other words these guys were looking for lawyers anyhow. So he refers them to a decent lawyer who washes his hand. Ok not 100% kosher but doesn’t sound so bad to me. Doesn’t sound like a Maddof to me.

    8 years ago

    Wait to you hear the others testify against Shelly. He needs to wear his Yarmulka in court to show that he is a religious man.

    PowerUp
    PowerUp
    8 years ago

    I don’t understand, This is typical albany business, why are they going after him?

    DRSLZ
    DRSLZ
    8 years ago

    Amazing that people here have the chutzpah to make comments about a criminal case involving someone who was clearly not only a member of our kehillah but also someone who looked out for our kehillah’s interests for decades.

    There is nothing productive about such comments, and comments on the internet are forever, so hatzlacha in Shomayim explaining the necessity of such snide remarks.

    wondering
    wondering
    8 years ago

    isnt the whole point that he didnt report the income or rather didnt list the referrals on his conflict of interest filings that are mandatory for public officials?

    Sol-Sol
    Sol-Sol
    8 years ago

    This case sounds like a cloud of fluff.
    I hope and pray Shelly comes out clean from this.
    The Dr lied to investigators and now the same investigators use his to their benefit. Can it get any better? Is this a trial or Comedy Central?

    mewhoze
    mewhoze
    8 years ago

    allowing the Doctor to testify is a chutzpah. he was already caught lying. he did profit financially as I am pretty sure some of that grant money was to supplement his salary. and now he is immune so he can say whatever he pleases….seriously??????????