Prosecutor Describes Alleged Cash Bribes As Malcolm Smith Retrial Opens

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Former state Sen. Malcolm Smith authorized "envelopes stuffed with cash" -- up to $25,000 -- to buy his way into the 2013 New York City mayoral election, a prosecutor said Tuesday.

In opening statements at Smith's corruption retrial, a prosecutor said the Queens Democrat paid bribes to get permission from Republican leaders to run on the GOP line, believing it would help his chances at winning City Hall

The prosecutor said jurors would see and hear recordings of party leaders taking bribes.

Smith's lawyer argued his client was entrapped. He said the government "invented a crime and lured Malcolm Smith into it." He said Smith was guilty of a bad decision but not a crime.

The prosecutor said Smith's co-defendant, former Queens Republican leader Vincent Tabone, took a $25,000 bribe. Tabone's lawyer said the money was for legitimate political consulting work.

In June, a judge declared a mistrial in Smith's and Tabone's case after some evidence was withheld from the defense.

A third defendant in that trial, former New York City Councilman Dan Halloran, did not want the mistrial and elected to move forward with his trial. He was convicted in July on bribery charges.

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