Richard Edward Schermerhorn (October 29, 1927 – June 21, 1995) was an American politician from New York. A vocal anti-abortionist, Schermerhorn served in the New York State Senate from 1971 to 1988.

In 1987, Schermerhorn was accused of taking a mafia bribe, which was downgraded to an undeclared campaign contribution. In 1988, he was indicted for fraud, tax evasion, and obstruction of justice, and subsequently lost his bid for reelection. In 1989, Schermerhorn was acquitted on the fraud charges, but was convicted of tax evasion and sentenced to a year and a half in jail and two years' probation. Schermerhorn was released in 1991.

After serving his prison term, Schermerhorn became a lobbyist in the state capital of Albany.

Life Schermerhorn was born on October 29, 1927, in Albany, New York. He was sent to a foster home when he was 3 months old, and later stated that, if abortion had been legal at the time, he might never have been born. He attended Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk High School and Albany Military Academy and graduated with an M.B.A. from Bryant University.

Career During World War II, Schermerhorn served in the U.S. Army.New York Red Book (1983–1984; pg. 138) He then went into the insurance business, and entered politics as Republican.

In June 1970, he defeated the incumbent State Senator D. Clinton Dominick III in the Republican primary. Dominick had voted for the 1970 abortion law, and Schermerhorn was a conservative anti-abortionist,Two Key Backers of Abortion Reform in the Legislature Are Defeated Upstate in the New York Times on June 24, 1970 (subscription required) who opposed abortion in all circumstances. Throughout his career, he was vocal about abortion and adoption.

He was a member of the New York State Senate from 1971 to 1988, sitting in the 179th, 180th, 181st, 182nd, 183rd, 184th, 185th, 186th and 187th New York State Legislatures.

Indictment and conviction On July 29, 1987, federal prosecutors accused Schermerhorn of having taken a bribe in 1984 from Dominick Lofaro, an ex-mafioso-turned-informer.New York Investigators Say State Senator Took a Bribe in the New York Times on July 30, 1987 The facts were then re-evaluated, and the bribe became a campaign contributions from Lofaro which had not been listed by Schermerhorn in his election campaign financial statement. Therefore, on September 23, 1988, he was indicted by a federal grand jury for fraud.State Legislator Faces 5 Charges In Fraud Inquiry in the New York Times on September 24, 1988 On November 2, 1988, he was also indicted for tax evasion. and obstruction of justice. In 1985, he had sold his interest in a hotel, and did not report the capital gain in his tax statement.Newburgh Lawmaker Indicted as Tax Dodger in the New York Times on November 3, 1988 On November 8, 1988, he was defeated for re-election by Democrat E. Arthur Gray.THE 1988 ELECTIONS in the New York Times on November 9, 1988

Schermerhorn went to trial in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. On October 26, 1989, Schermerhorn was acquitted on the fraud charges, but was convicted of tax evasion.Ex-New York Senator Guilty of Tax Evasion in the New York Times on October 27, 1989 On December 15, 1989, he was sentenced by Judge Gerard Goettel to a year and a half in jail, and afterwards two years' probation.Ex-Senator Sentenced to Prison in Tax Case in the New York Times on December 16, 1989 On July 2, 1991, Schermerhorn was released from Federal Prison Camp, Montgomery, and transferred to the Brooklyn Community Corrections Center.CHRONICLE; RICHARD E. SCHERMERHORN, a former Republican New York State senator from Orange County, has been released... in the New York Times on July 9, 1991

After serving his prison term, Schermerhorn became a lobbyist in Albany.

Personal life Schermerhorn married Connie Edwards, and they had four daughters.

Schermerhorn died on June 21, 1995, at his home in Newburgh, New York, of throat cancer;Richard E. Schermerhorn, 67, A State Senator for Nine Terms in the New York Times on June 23, 1995 and was buried at the Calvary Cemetery in New Windsor.

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