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Former New York Senate Majority Leader Indicted on Corruption Charges
Posted on Jan 26, 2009
By Michael Hill
Associated Press
Saturday, January 24, 2009; Page A02
ALBANY, N.Y. -- Joseph L. Bruno, the former majority leader of the New York Senate and for a time the most powerful Republican in state politics, was indicted Friday on federal corruption charges.
Bruno, who retired from the legislature in July after more than a dozen years leading the Senate, is accused of using his position to steer contracts and grants to businesses that paid him a total of $3.2 million in consulting fees or other compensation from 1993 through 2006.
Bruno exploited "his official position for personal compensation and enrichment" in dealing with companies and 16 unions with business before the state, according to the eight-count indictment brought by the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of New York.
None of the companies or unions mentioned in the indictment are accused of wrongdoing.
Bruno also is accused of lying on financial disclosure forms and of using state employees to do administrative and other work related to his outside financial activities.
Bruno, 79, pleaded not guilty during a brief court appearance Friday. He later denounced the investigation at a news conference, calling it a politically motivated "fishing expedition."
"After being hounded for three years, I am being indicted on a prosecutorial sleight of hand because, after years of effort, they cannot find one example of criminal activity or illegal intent," Bruno said.
He promised to "fight this, and I'm going to win."
Bruno, who represented his Troy, N.Y., district for 32 years, seized power in the state Senate in 1994 with the consent of former GOP governor George E. Pataki, who had just been elected. Bruno became the most powerful Republican in state government when former governor Eliot L. Spitzer (D) succeeded Pataki.
After his retirement, Bruno became chief executive of CMA Consulting Services, an information technology consulting business based in the Albany County suburb of Latham.
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