City Council member Larry Seabrook has been indicted in the continuing probe into the slush fund scandal.

The 13-count indictment charges Seabrook with soliciting and accepting bribes, extortion, money laundering, and funneling tax money into phony nonprofits that existed only to benefit him and some of his relatives. In addition, there are a number of unnamed "Seabrook associates" who allegedly helped carry out his schemes.

This was not a surprise; it was pretty well known that Seabrook was under intense scrutiny throughout the past couple of years, and that an indictment would probably be handed down early this year. What remains to be seen is how many (if any) of the charges will stick.

Meanwhile, there is little chance that the City Council will take action against Seabrook unless he is convicted. That is not only standard practice, but also proper; a person is supposed to be presumed innocent, and no matter how serious the charges Seabrook deserves that same presumption.