NEW YORK, NY September 26, 2005 —Closing arguments begin today in the trial of Brooklyn Democratic leader Clarence Norman. WNYC’s Fred Mogul has more.

In testimony last week, Norman admitted he made mistakes, but said they were oversights, not criminal activities. He is accused of letting a lobbyist pay for thousands of dollars worth of campaign expenses – well in excess of state limits. Norman never reported the transactions to his treasurer, but testified that he thought she knew about them.

Prosecutors produced several receipts Norman HAD submitted for reimbursement and tried to suggest he could be detail-oriented about expenses when he chose to. If convicted, the 54-year-old assemblyman from Crown Heights could face up to four years in jail.