Democrat spent two decades as speaker of state assembly before conviction over real-estate dealings
Sheldon Silver was known as a stubborn negotiator.Sheldon Silver, one of the most powerful figures in New York state government for two decades beforeSilver, who served as the speaker of thestate assembly, died on Monday, the federal Bureau of Prisons said, adding that the official cause of death would be determined by the medical examiner. Silver’s supporters had said he was in failing health from multiple medical conditions.
In all, Silver served as speaker during the tenure of five New York governors, from Mario Cuomo to Andrew Cuomo. Silver was the youngest of four children of Russian immigrants. His father ran a wholesale hardware store. As an adult, he and his wife had four children and lived in a lower Manhattan apartment blocks from his first home.