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New York politicians could be scrambling if a pal of Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver spills the beans about a kickback scandal that allegedly involves delivering campaign contributions to city and state officials.

William Rapfogel, the former head of the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty, is "fully cooperating with the criminal investigation" conducted by state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, said his lawyer, Paul Shechtman.

Rapfogel was bounced from his job as the council's longtime CEO last week after being accused of inflating insurance bills charged to the agency so he could keep the overcharges, or direct campaign contributions to favored pols. His wife, Judy, is Silver's chief-of-staff.

Investigators are looking at Rapfogel's relationship with Joseph Ross, a Hasidic leader and CEO of Long Island-based Century Coverage, which underwrites the council's insurance.

Ross and his employees have pumped more than $120,000 into various campaign coffers since the 1990s. Ross personally gave $6,500 to Silver's PAC and campaign and $2,000 to accused sexual harasser Ex-Assemblyman Vito Lopez.Silver and Vallone said they don't know Ross.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/pols_sweating_over_bust_of_speaker_TXEvvPbp1MP9xU5yDhtTpO