First, free advertising. If you have whiplash, mesothelioma, got damaged by Xorelto, an artificial hip or any other bodily insult, there are many cheap lawyers advertising on TV. Forget them and try Weitz and Luxenburg. They get oodles of boodle for … well … lots of people.
Plus they have celebrity endorsers like, oh, say, Sheldon Silver. You remember Shelly, don’t you? The speaker of the New York State Assembly? More powerful than a locomotive? Able to leap tall buildings and other obstacles in a single bound?
Oh, wait. Maybe the TV lawyers aren’t too happy with their “of counsel” legal consultant. You remember Shelly, right? The guy in handcuffs, accused of taking millions of dollars in bribes and kickbacks over 20 years?
photo: The Yeshivaworld
The locomotive hit a brick wall and the brick wall won. He made bail --$200 thousand dollars -- without
breaking a sweat which should be no surprise. And before his moment in court told reporters he hopes to be vindicated.
Sure. At least he didn’t spout the standard line “I’m innocent of all charges and welcome to opportunity to prove that in a court of law” which is right there in the Good Government Handbook under “What to say when they slap the cuffs on.”
Every state, every municipality has its share of grafters and other crooks. Silver is a Democrat, but every party has its shining bad examples.
Silver isn’t the kind of electee with constituents who throw rose petals in his path when he walks down lower Second Avenue. No one recognizes him, other than as an old man and a throwback to when everyone in the ‘hood spoke English with a Yiddish accent.
They’re tossing around all kinds of figures, which means they’re uncertain of the exact amount Silver is thought to have stolen. But it’s in the multi-millions.
As for the Weitz connection: Silver apparently did no actual legal work for them, but received more than $5 million in salary and referral fees.
Though it probably wasn’t an attempt at humor, the New York Times has a pretty funny headline atop a story about the legislature: “‘Chaos’ Predicted in Albany After Arrest.” Think anyone will notice a difference?
Shrapnel:
--While the Silver business was going on, Nassau County Legislator David Denenberg (D-Merrick) was getting ready to do time. He pleaded guilty to bilking a law client of $2.3 million. That’s chickenfeed compared to Shelly, but still would feed a lot of chickens.
--Yemen, long an incubator for terrorists, is without a president. He resigned while held prisoner in his own house by “rebels” said to have ties with Iran. And there’s concern the country will break apart into tribal-run splinters.
Grapeshot:
-Think kind thoughts and beam them at Joe Franklin, who is ailing.
And with the usual apologies to Jimmy Cannon, Wish I’d Said That:
“I watched the President being interviewed by three YouTube program hosts. There haven't been that many softballs since the last Patriots game.” --Charlie Kaye, broadcast news executive.
I’m Wes Richards. My opinions are my own but you’re welcome to them. ®
Please address comments to wesrichards@gmail.com
© WJR 2015
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