Emmanuel Thomas with Agency Reports
May 11, 2015 – Senate Majority Leader, Dean Skelos(67) has been replaced with Senator John Flanagan, fellow senator from Lond Island after being charged in a corruption case involving his son, Adam.
Skelos told other Republican senators at a closed-door meeting that he would step down, Senators Kenneth LaValle and Philip Boyle have said, adding that he has been replaced with Flanagan. Flanagan is a 54-year-old lawyer who has been serving in the Senate since 2002. Skelos has held his seat for 30 years and is stepping down to protect his integrity.
Skelos and his 32 year old son were charged with extortion and soliciting bribes, in a string of criminal cases against state legislators.
Prosecutors said Skelos pressured a real estate developer and an environmental technology company to pay his son more than $200,000 in exchange for his support on infrastructure and legislation.
Skelos has so far maintained his innocence.
