'Guilty as charged': Chuck Schumer admits he spent nearly $9,000 on cheesescakes

'It's the best cheesecake in the world,' Senate Minority leader confesses while holding tray of tasty treats

Chuck Schumer has managed to keep his Senate Democratic caucus together since becoming its leader. But next time one of his members needs a favor, perhaps they can appeal to his sweet tooth.

It turns out the Senate Democratic leader has dropped $9,000 on cheesecakes from a Brooklyn bakery over the years – and he's fully embracing his habit.

After intrepid reporters at the New York Post uncovered federal campaign finance disclosure forms showing a political action committee closely affiliated with the New York Democrat has spent thousands on cheesecakes from Junior's, which Mr Schumer claims puts out the finest in the world.

"Guilty as charged," Mr Schumer told reporters while holding a tray full of Junior's cheeseckakes.

"I love Junior's cheesecake so much. It's the best cheesecake in the world," he said. "It is made in Brooklyn. I've been going to Junior's since I've been a little boy. And it's my guilty pleasure."

"Oh, baby. Now you're talking," Mr Schumer said at a press conference as he prepared to bite into a piece. "In Brooklyn, they would say 'So something good,'" avoiding dropping an expletive. "But I'm just going to say so good."

If the Senate Democratic leader had purchased the store's most popular pie, the "Original NY Plan Cheesecake" at its current price of $43.95, the PAC would have bought 196 of them.

Mr Schumer's staff also had some fun with the matter.

"No matter how ya slice it, Chuck is proud of his years of support for the Downtown Brooklyn institution that is Junior's cheesecake," Schumer spokesman Angelo Roefaro told The Post, adding no taxpayer funds were used to buy the tasty treats.