Ex-NY Senate leader John Sampson wins reprieve before prison
Former New York State Senate leader John Sampson leaves a federal courthouse in Brooklyn on Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2017 after being sentenced to five years in prison on a corruption conviction. Credit: Charles Eckert
Former state Senate Democratic leader John Sampson won one last reprieve Wednesday before beginning his prison sentence for corruption.
Brooklyn U.S. District Judge Dora Irizarry said Sampson, convicted 20 months ago of lying and obstructing justice to cover up an embezzlement of escrow funds, could delay his surrender from April 21 to May 18 so that he can see his daughter graduate from college.
Just last month Sampson lost a bid to have a federal appeals court delay his 5-year sentence, pending appeal. The government opposed his request to see his daughter graduate.
'Democrats say this is a misuse of taxpayer funds' Nassau Republicans awarded over $1 million in taxpayer-funded legal contracts to the one-man law firm of Sheharyar Ali, a longtime GOP ally. Ali's father is an adviser to Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman. NewsdayTV's Ken Buffa and Newsday Nassau County politics reporter Bahar Ostadan have the story.
'Democrats say this is a misuse of taxpayer funds' Nassau Republicans awarded over $1 million in taxpayer-funded legal contracts to the one-man law firm of Sheharyar Ali, a longtime GOP ally. Ali's father is an adviser to Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman. NewsdayTV's Ken Buffa and Newsday Nassau County politics reporter Bahar Ostadan have the story.
