Court won’t upend New York Democrat’s corruption conviction

WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court has left in place the conviction and prison sentence of a former Democratic state senator from New York who wanted to run for mayor of New York City as a Republican.

The justices did not comment Monday in rejecting an appeal from former Sen. Malcolm Smith.

Prosecutors said Smith authorized about $200,000 in bribes to secure Republican leaders’ backing to avoid a crowded Democratic field and run on the GOP line in the 2013 mayoral race.

Smith had served in the state Senate for more than a decade before his arrest in 2013. He is serving a seven-year prison term after his conviction on conspiracy, bribery and other charges.