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Back to To the Point

To the Point

NY State Senator Accused of Trying to Bribe His Way into Mayor's Race

Michael Bloomberg's three terms as Mayor of New York have been free of major corruption, but a new federal bribery case suggests that machine politics may be alive and well. Democratic State Senator Malcolm Smith probably had no chance of becoming mayor -- especially as a Republican.

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By Warren Olney • May 12, 2014 • 1 min read

Michael Bloomberg's three terms as Mayor of New York have been free of major corruption, but a new federal bribery case suggests that machine politics may be alive and well. Democratic State Senator Malcolm Smith probably had no chance of becoming mayor -- especially as a Republican. But that's the scenario he tried to act out, admitting it would cost him "a pretty penny." Unfortunately for Smith, his admission was recorded by the FBI, as we hear from Anna Sale, politics reporter for public radio station WNYC.

  • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

    Warren Olney

    former KCRW broadcaster

  • KCRW placeholder

    Andrea Brody

    Senior Producer, KCRW's Life Examined and To the Point podcast

  • KCRW placeholder

    Kerry Cavanaugh

    editorial writer at the Los Angeles Times

  • Sonya Geis with wavy brown hair wearing a black dress with red accents and decorative earrings against a white background.

    Sonya Geis

    Senior Managing Editor

  • KCRW placeholder

    Anna Sale

    WNYC

    NewsNationalPolitics
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