Jury Hears Closings In NJ Pol's Corruption Trial

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) -- Closing arguments are under way in the federal corruption trial of former New Jersey Assemblyman L. Harvey Smith.

Prosecutors were making their summations in Newark federal court. They called one rebuttal witness earlier Tuesday from the Election Law Enforcement Commission, which tracks campaign donations.

Smith was arrested in July 2009 in the state's largest corruption sting. He faces extortion, bribery and money laundering counts. He's accused of taking $15,000 from an informant posing as a developer.

Smith testified that he returned some of the money and planned to return the rest. Prosecutors say he agreed to take cash in exchange for helping a government informant who posed as a builder looking for help with permits.

(Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)