Senator Malcolm Smith arrested with 5 others over New York City mayoral race bribery scandal

Voters are always demanding greater cooperation between the Democrats and Republicans.

But the following story probably isn’t what they had in mind.

Six New York politicians – one Democrat and five Republicans – have been arrested over their alleged roles in a bribery scandal involving tens of thousands of dollars.

U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara has accused Democratic state Senator Malcolm Smith of trying to “bribe his way” on to the Republican ticket in the upcoming New York City mayoral race.

Smith allegedly bribed New York City Councilman Dan Halloran, a Republican, to help guarantee him a spot on the GOP ballot in the November election, when New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's third term expires.

Four other Republican figures allegedly agreed to support Smith’s bid in exchange for bribes.

Bharara described the scandal as “an unappetizing smorgasbord of graft and greed involving six officials who together built a corridor of corruption stretching from Queens and the Bronx to Rockland County and all the way up to Albany itself," the Associated Press reported.

"Smith drew up the game plan and Councilman Halloran essentially quarterbacked that drive by finding party chairmen who were wide open to receiving bribes."

The men were arrested Tuesday morning and face charges of bribery, extortion, and wire and mail fraud, Reuters reported.

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