Mel Miller
Encyclopedia
Melvin H. Miller is an American lawyer and politician.
and New York University School of Law
. He was admitted to the bar in 1964, and is a member of the New York County Lawyers Association. He has taught at the Graduate Center at the City University of New York
and at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice
.
He was a Democratic member from Kings County of the New York State Assembly
from 1971 to 1991, and was Speaker
from 1987 to 1991. He was responsible for the Fiscal Reform Act of 1990. Upon being convicted on 8 out of 19 felony
charges in the Federal court at Brooklyn, he lost the speakership on December 13, 1991, and was replaced by majority leader James R. Tallon
as Acting Speaker until the election of Saul Weprin
to the speakership on December 16, 1991. In the case, which did not involve his work in government, Miller and his Assembly aide and onetime law partner, Jay Adolf, were charged with cheating legal clients out of some of the profits from investments in cooperative apartments. They acknowledged receiving a total of about $250,000 in three deals, but denied defrauding clients. The jury
convicted each defendant of six charges of fraud
, one of conspiracy
and one of using an assumed name, all involving one scheme to secretly buy and resell eight apartments in a Brooklyn building. The jury found that they had deprived their clients of the right to buy the apartments and receive the profits. Under New York State law, any member of the state legislature who is convicted of a felony is automatically expelled. Miller immediately lost his seat in the Assembly and position as Speaker. The conviction, however, was later overturned on appeal.
He is now widely recognized as an authority on public finance and the state budgetary process, and as one of the founders of Bolton St Johns, he serves as Senior Consultant to the firm.
Life
He graduated from Brooklyn CollegeBrooklyn College
Brooklyn College is a senior college of the City University of New York, located in Brooklyn, New York, United States.Established in 1930 by the New York City Board of Higher Education, the College had its beginnings as the Downtown Brooklyn branches of Hunter College and the City College of New...
and New York University School of Law
New York University School of Law
The New York University School of Law is the law school of New York University. Established in 1835, the school offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in law, and is located in Greenwich Village, in the New York City borough of Manhattan....
. He was admitted to the bar in 1964, and is a member of the New York County Lawyers Association. He has taught at the Graduate Center at the City University of New York
City University of New York
The City University of New York is the public university system of New York City, with its administrative offices in Yorkville in Manhattan. It is the largest urban university in the United States, consisting of 23 institutions: 11 senior colleges, six community colleges, the William E...
and at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice
John Jay College of Criminal Justice
The John Jay College of Criminal Justice is a senior college of the City University of New York in Midtown Manhattan, New York City and is the only liberal arts college with a criminal justice and forensic focus in the United States. The college offers programs in Forensic Science and Forensic...
.
He was a Democratic member from Kings County of the New York State Assembly
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
from 1971 to 1991, and was Speaker
Speaker of the New York State Assembly
The Speaker of the New York State Assembly is the highest official in the New York State Assembly, customarily elected from the ranks of the majority party....
from 1987 to 1991. He was responsible for the Fiscal Reform Act of 1990. Upon being convicted on 8 out of 19 felony
Felony
A felony is a serious crime in the common law countries. The term originates from English common law where felonies were originally crimes which involved the confiscation of a convicted person's land and goods; other crimes were called misdemeanors...
charges in the Federal court at Brooklyn, he lost the speakership on December 13, 1991, and was replaced by majority leader James R. Tallon
James R. Tallon
James R. Tallon, Jr. is an American politician and health-care expert.-Life:He received a B.A., cum laude, in political science from Syracuse University and an M.A. in international relations from Boston University. He has done additional graduate work at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and...
as Acting Speaker until the election of Saul Weprin
Saul Weprin
Saul Weprin was an American attorney and politician. He was a Democratic member from Queens County of the New York State Assembly, and served as its Speaker from December 1991 until his death.-Early life and career:...
to the speakership on December 16, 1991. In the case, which did not involve his work in government, Miller and his Assembly aide and onetime law partner, Jay Adolf, were charged with cheating legal clients out of some of the profits from investments in cooperative apartments. They acknowledged receiving a total of about $250,000 in three deals, but denied defrauding clients. The jury
Jury
A jury is a sworn body of people convened to render an impartial verdict officially submitted to them by a court, or to set a penalty or judgment. Modern juries tend to be found in courts to ascertain the guilt, or lack thereof, in a crime. In Anglophone jurisdictions, the verdict may be guilty,...
convicted each defendant of six charges of fraud
Fraud
In criminal law, a fraud is an intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual; the related adjective is fraudulent. The specific legal definition varies by legal jurisdiction. Fraud is a crime, and also a civil law violation...
, one of conspiracy
Conspiracy (crime)
In the criminal law, a conspiracy is an agreement between two or more persons to break the law at some time in the future, and, in some cases, with at least one overt act in furtherance of that agreement...
and one of using an assumed name, all involving one scheme to secretly buy and resell eight apartments in a Brooklyn building. The jury found that they had deprived their clients of the right to buy the apartments and receive the profits. Under New York State law, any member of the state legislature who is convicted of a felony is automatically expelled. Miller immediately lost his seat in the Assembly and position as Speaker. The conviction, however, was later overturned on appeal.
He is now widely recognized as an authority on public finance and the state budgetary process, and as one of the founders of Bolton St Johns, he serves as Senior Consultant to the firm.
Sources
- http://www.boltonstjohns.com/biographies/mel_miller.php4 Bio at Bolton St.John's, with photo
- http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DE3DD123BF93BA35752C0A961948260 His election as Speaker, in NYT on January 8, 1987
- http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0CE0DE133AF937A25751C1A967958260 News of his conviction, in NYT on December 14, 1991
- http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0CE3DA143AF934A25751C1A967958260 Weprin's election, in NYT on December 17, 1991
- http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0CE1D71138F937A25751C1A967958260 His conviction, with details of the case, in NYT on December 14, 1991
- http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/19011/the-laws-involved-in-the-expulsion-of-a-member/ Explanation of NYS law on automatic explusion of members of state legislature