Lawyers for former New York State Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos have asked a federal appeals court for a new trial in his corruption conviction.
They cite the court’s recent overturning of the conviction of former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver on corruption charges.
Silver won his appeal based on a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that elected officials must engage in a direct quid pro quo — as opposed to taking a phone call or attending a meeting — to be charged with “honest services fraud.”
Skelos and his son, Adam, were convicted in 2015 on extortion and bribery charges for Dean Skelos’ role in securing high-paid jobs for his son.
The court has not said when it might rule on the appeal.
