By Jennifer Peltz

Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) - Former state Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver faces arraignment on bribery charges that spurred his resignation from his role as one of New York’s foremost political powerbrokers.

The Democrat was due in a Manhattan federal court Tuesday in a case that has rocked the statehouse power structure. Accused of illegally profiting off his outsize influence, Silver has said he’s confident he will be cleared.

“Our client is not guilty. We can now begin to fight for his total vindication,” lawyers Joel Cohen and Steve Molo said when Silver was indicted last week on honest service fraud and extortion charges. The attorneys declined to comment further Monday ahead of Silver’s arraignment.