Temporary suspension of New York Senator John Sampson, no disbarment of Dean Skelos and Sheldon Silver. Really?

Here is attorney registration information for three former New York legislators:

• Senator John Sampson, former Chairman of the New York Senate's Judiciary Committee;
• Senator Dean Skelos, former New York State Majority Leader;
• Sheldon Silver, former New York State Assembly Speaker

Ok.  

John Sampson is "temporarily suspended" from the practice of law.

The other two are attorneys "in good standing" with "no record of public discipline".

Even though Dean Skelos was indicted for this - and convicted by the jury on 12/11/2015 for EIGHT felony counts, specifically for:

That's from extortion under the color of official right to solicitation of bribes, all federal felonies.

And here is the verdict sheet for Sheldon Silver:

Wire fraud, mail fraud, extortion under color of official right.

So, John Sampson was convicted for a felony in July.

New York law requires an automatic disbarment of an attorney convicted of a felony - WITHOUT disciplinary proceedings, as of the date of conviction.

John Sampson was not disbarred, as required by law.

Instead, disciplinary proceedings were instituted, and he was only temporarily suspended pending further disciplinary proceedings and "until further order of the court".

Why was John Sampson suspended while Dean Skelos and Sheldon Silver are not?

Sampson asked to postpone his suspension until the sentencing.

Yet, sentencing does not change the fact of his conviction (guilty verdict), nor does it change the same guilty verdicts for Silver or Skelos. 

This is what the court rebutted Sampson's objection to "interim suspension" before sentencing:

 The court then said that commission of a serious crime warrants an "interim suspension".

Once again - why only Sampson?

Why not Silver?

Why not Skelos?

The crimes for which they were already convicted by juries, the federal felonies - are not serious enough?

They can still proceed representing clients as "attorneys in good standing"?

Their connections still allow them to remain licensed attorneys "with no record of public discipline"?

Do you want to be represented by Skelos or Silver?

I bet you might want to - their connections can secure anything for you, law or no law.