Former New York Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin was accused of engaging in bribery and fraud, but a federal judge dismissed the charges because there was insufficient evidence of a quid pro quo.
Three of the five charges brought against Democratic defendant Benjamin have been dropped, according to court documents and the docket. At first, Benjamin was accused of bribery, honest services wire fraud, and conspiring to commit those three offenses. According to a court document filed on Monday, he was also accused of falsifying records pertaining to contributions to his Senate campaign and an executive appointment questionnaire.
According to court records, the first three of those five charges have been dropped.
“Today’s ruling demonstrates how these false accusations hurt Mr. Benjamin and unjustly cost him his job as Lt. Governor. The indictment was a direct attack on the democratic process, as made clear by the dismissal of this now debunked bribery theory, Benjamin’s defense attorney claimed in a statement.
A representative of the Manhattan US attorney’s office declined to comment on the decision. The office of Governor Kathy Hochul has been contacted by CNN.
Hochul, who succeeded Andrew Cuomo as governor after the latter’s resignation last summer, appointed Benjamin to his position. After being detained and charged in relation to his alleged involvement in a scheme to solicit campaign donations in exchange for obtaining a state grant, Benjamin was fired in April.
Gerald Migdol, a New York real estate developer, was approached by Benjamin to donate to his campaign. In return, Benjamin gave Migdol’s nonprofit organization in Harlem $50,000 in state funds.
“The Indictment fails to allege an explicit quid pro quo, which is an essential element of the bribery and honest services wire fraud charges brought against Benjamin,” the court concluded.
augmentin 625 online
cheap erythromycin
quineprox 500 mg
fluoxetine 20mg capsules price