Feb.09, 2010, 5:05PM
A grand jury today indicted former Assemblyman L. Harvey Smith, of Jersey City, on charges he accepted $15,000 in bribes from a government informant.
Smith who did not seek reelection last year and left the Statehouse last month, was among the dozens of people arrested and charged in a massive political corruption and international money-laundering sting in July.
Smith’s attorney Peter Willis is on vacation and could not immediately be reached for comment today. Smith could not be reached for comment.
The indictment charges Smith with accepting $5,000 in bribes through Edward Cheatam, a former Hudson County affirmative action officer and Jersey City Housing Authority commissioner.
ReRead the full indictment here.
Cheatam has already pleaded guilty to accepting bribes from the informant, failed Monmouth County developer Solomon Dwek. Dwek secretly recorded his meetings with officials during which he offered them cash for their assistance in furthering his project.
Some of those tapes were shown in federal court over the past two weeks in the corruption trial of suspended Jersey City Deputy Mayor Leona Beldini, who is also accused of taking bribes from Dwek.
Dwek was posing as a developer interested in building condos on Garfield Avenue in Jersey City.
According to the indictment during a meeting in April after Dwek discussed how he would funnel money to Smith, the assemblyman said, “Stop talking — just, I understand — stop talking … you make me feel like I might want to pat you down.”
Smith allegedly asked Cheatam to convert the $5,000 into contributions to his “Smith Team” campaign fund.
According to the indictment, Smith offered to help Dwek determine the status of environmental issues with the proposed Garfield Avenue site and said he could, “get the ball rolling.”
Smith is accused of making calls for Dwek and accepting another $10,000 in bribes through Cheatam.
The indictment charges Smith with one count of conspiracy to commit extortion and two counts of conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right, each of which caries a maximum 20 year prison sentence and $250,000 fine. He is also charged with two counts of receiving corrupt cash payments, which carries a maximum 10 year sentence and $250,000 fine; and one county of money laundering, which carries a maximum 20 year sentence and $500,000 fine.