Former Bronx GOP Chair Pleads Guilty in Corruption Case

Yesterday, former Bronx Republican Chair Jay Savino pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in White Plains to three federal counts, including bribery, conspiracy and wire fraud.  Savino admitted that he accepted $15,000 in exchange for promising to help State Senator  Malcolm Smith (D-Queens) run for New York City mayor in the Republican line.

Savino is free on a $250,000 bond; he will be sentenced in February.  He faces up to 30 years in prison.

The bribe Savino accepted was revealed as part of a broad investigation that led to the arrest and indictments of a number of other political/elected officials, including New York City Councilman Daniel Halloran, former Queens GOP Vice Chair Vincent Tabone, Spring Valley Mayor Noramie Jasmin and Deputy Mayor Joseph Desmaret.

The plea deal reportedly requires him to testify against the other defendants in the case.

(Read my April 2013 blog post about the indictments here.)

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