ALBANY – Former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver spent more than $1.5 million from his campaign account on lawyers as US Attorney Preet Bharara bore down on him, filings show.
The records, which became public this week, show that Silver paid MoloLamken LLP $1 million on Feb. 12 — about a month after he cut the same firm a check for $25,000. He also shelled out $500,000 to lawyers at Stroock, Stroock and Lavan LLP on Jan. 29, a week after he was arrested on corruption charges.
Under state election law, legislators can use campaign funds to defend themselves against criminal charges related to their office.
But, although it’s all legal, Blair Horner, director of the good-government New York Public Interest Research Group, blasted the practice.
“We think that campaign contributions should be used for campaigns. Period. End of story,” Horner said.
Legal fees accounted for the bulk of Silver’s $1.75 million in campaign spending over the past six months.
Silver’s spending still lags behind the legal expenses of former state Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, who went through $2.4 million after he was arrested on federal bribery charges and forced to resign in 2008. Bruno was ultimately acquitted.
Silver has $1.76 million in his campaign coffers despite taking in just $3,000 in contributions since January.