Sheldon Silver When a bill to legalize MMA in New York failed to pass in 2009, it was easy to point the finger at the sport’s most staunch opponent, Democratic assemblyman Bob Reilly, who once linked MMA to dog fighting and prostitution . But as more questions were asked, and Reilly faded from public view, a new antagonist was revealed: Democrat Sheldon Silver, who as assembly speaker held the power to bring the MMA bill to a vote. When each legislative session came to a close without one, he took the blame for appeasing the interests of a Las Vegas culinary union at war with Station Casinos, whose co-founders owned UFC parent Zuffa. On Monday, the career politician’s long reign over the New York assembly came to a striking end, suggesting a new hope for legalizing MMA in the Empire State. Prosecutors found Silver, 71, guilty on seven federal charges of corruption , which include honest services fraud, extortion and money laundering, the New York Times reported
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Once MMA’s biggest foe in New York, Sheldon Silver found guilty on corruption charges – MMA Junkie