ROP

Skelos, Walker to head to court over corruption charges

Luke Torrance
Former state Sen. Dean Skelos, who was convicted of corruption charges in 2015, has been released from prison after testing positive for the coronavirus. (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

Two politicians from Nassau County are set to head to court in the coming months in corruption cases.

Former state Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre) will begin his retrial on June 18 to determine if he used his power to get a no-show job for his son, Adam. And former Deputy County Executive Rob Walker had his trial date set for September, when a jury will try to determine if he obstructed justice.

This will be Skelos’ and his son Adam’s second time in court. The duo was convicted in December 2015 of using Dean Skelos’ political power and influence to get more than $300,000 in payments for Adam from New Hyde Park real estate developer Glenwood Management, Roslyn malpractice insurance firm Physicians’ Reciprocal Insurers and Arizona-based environmental technology firm AbTech Industries.

But like former state Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Dean and Adam Skelos had their convictions overturned last September following a ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court that narrowed the definition of corruption. While Skelos’ attorneys praised the decision, prosecutors promised a similar result in the retrial.

“While we are disappointed in the decision … we look forward to a prompt retrial where we will have another opportunity to present the overwhelming evidence of Dean Skelos’ and Adam Skelos’ guilt,” then acting U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said.

Kim gave a similar statement after Silver’s conviction was overturned, which turned out to be prescient. Silver’s retrial this month took just two weeks and he was found guilty on all counts.

Earlier this week, Skelos’ attorney Robert Gage said that prosecutors were turning a blind eye to the corruption of one witness, Anthony Bonomo of Manhasset. Bonomo was CEO of Physicians Reciprocal Insurers, a role from which he has since been ousted.

Gage said that Bonomo’s actions pointed to “the largest health and insurance fraud in New York,” according to the New York Daily News.

Bonomo has not been criminally charged. If he was, it would violate the terms of agreement in the Skelos case, the Daily News reported.

Walker will begin his trial on Sept. 17. The date was set during a hearing at federal District Court in Central Islip, minutes after closing arguments concluded in the trial of Walker’s former boss, Edward Mangano.

The trial for Mangano, the former county executive, his wife, Linda, and former Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor John Venditto was in its 10th week, and the jury was weighing a verdict. Mangano is facing conspiracy, bribery, wire fraud and extortion charges.

Walker was charged in February with obstruction of justice and making false statements to the FBI. The Republican former state assemblyman allegedly received a $5,000 cash payment from a contractor. When he discovered that he was the subject of a federal investigation, Walker allegedly tried to convince the contractor to lie on his behalf. He later returned the payment to the contractor at a park while under surveillance by the FBI.

Prosecutors said the payment was turned over by the contractor to the FBI. They also said that when brought in for questioning, Walker denied ever receiving a payment from the contractor.

Walker served earlier in his career as deputy parks commissioner in the Town of Oyster Bay after working as an assistant to then Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor John Venditto. He then served in the state Assembly after winning a 2005 special election.

Walker is the son of Rose Marie Walker, a Republican Nassau legislator and former Town of Oyster Bay councilwoman.

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