This is a printer friendly version of an article from The Item.com
To print this article open the file menu and choose Print.
Close
Article published: Jul 10, 2009 LA judge charged in campaign bribery case
A Los Angeles county judge has been indicted on allegations of trying to bribe his opponent to drop out of last year's race for a judicial seat, prosecutors said Thursday.
Superior Court Judge Harvey Silberman, 52, and two political consultants are accused of offering a bribe to Deputy District Attorney Serena Murillo to back out of the municipal election, according to the indictment unsealed Wednesday. The grand jury transcript detailing the alleged scheme has not been released.
Silberman, Evelyn Jerome Alexander and Alan Randall Steinberg, were charged with solicitation of money or valuable consideration to induce a person not to become a candidate for public office, said state Attorney General's office spokeswoman Christine Gastarac. Each faces up to three years in state prison if convicted.
Alexander and Steinberg, who are partners of the public affairs firm SJA Strategies, have pleaded not guilty. Arraignment for Silberman, who's on paid leave pending the outcome of the case, has been postponed until a judge from another county is assigned to the case, Gastarac said.
Silberman's lawyer, Dan Nixon, said his client was also charged with solicitation to commit a crime, specifically offering accepting or joining in the offer or acceptance of a bribe. Nixon said the judge will plead not guilty.
"He maintains that he is innocent of these charges and has done nothing wrong," Nixon said.
Steinberg's attorney insisted his client was innocent.
"Randy's a person of outstanding character and high morals and in this case, truth and justice will be synonymous with his complete vindication," said attorney Steve Meister, who declined to comment on the specifics of the case.
Alexander's attorney said he intends to raise the "credibility and reliability" of prosecution witnessess, including Murillo, when trial begins.
Silberman, a former court commissioner, was elected a judge in June 2008 by about 5 percentage points over Murillo. He oversees family law cases and presided over the highly publicized child custody battle between Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards.