Condemning him for having “corrupted the Democratic process,” a federal judge on Wednesday sentenced Malcolm A. Smith, former majority leader of the New York State Senate, to seven years in prison for consenting to the payment of tens of thousands of dollars to Republican Party leaders to permit him, as a registered Queens Democrat, to run for mayor in 2013 on their party’s line.

From the Petition:

Former Queens assistant district attorney Claude Stuart became director for "a charity set up by State Senator Malcolm A. Smith and United States Representative Gregory W. Meeks." "Stuart was placed on the Senate payroll by Mr. Smith in 2002 shortly after he lost his job as a Queens prosecutor for lying to a judge." Yes, this is the U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks, who is the new Queens boss. See "New Boss, Same Broken Machine" section of this petition. Figure Under Scrutiny in Inquiry Into Charity Was on Senate Payroll, NYTimes.