UN General Assembly Holds Minute of Silence for Corrupt Former President

On June 30, 2016, the UN General Assembly held a minute of silence in memory of former President John Ashe, who was indicted by a federal grand jury for accepting bribes totaling over $1 million while he served as UN General Assembly president from 2013 to 2014. Still awaiting trial, Ashe died on June 22, 2016, while exercising in his home in Dobbs Ferry, New York. The General Assembly memorial for Ashe featured laudatory remarks from UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, and representatives from UN Member states about Ashe's "remarkable career" and his "decisive, bold and practical steps" - but no mention of Ashe's using his leadership position in the UN to rake in over $1 million in bribes.