Suffolk Sheriff Steven Tompkins, facing federal extortion charges, argues his actions were political favor-swapping, not a crime. His lawyer, Martin Weinberg, claims there was no explicit agreement for a quid pro quo, only an expectation of future favors. Prosecutors allege Tompkins extorted a cannabis company, threatening to revoke a crucial partnership needed for their licensing application. Tompkins, a sixty-eight-year-old Democrat, has pleaded not guilty and remains on leave from his elected post. The judge has taken the motion to dismiss under advisement, with a ruling yet to be made.
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