| Period. We have already established that much. Today's Albany Times Union gives yet another sad example in a story about our state Senate Majority Leader funneling public money to a for profit company seemingly run by "close friends" that the he "does not have personal ties with".
For-profit company gets aid
Firm with ties to Senate Majority Leader Bruno received unusual grants
By JAMES M. ODATO, Capitol bureau
State Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno provided a pair of highly unusual state grants to a for-profit company in his district whose directors and investors have links to the Brunswick Republican.
The company, Evident Technologies Inc., has received two $250,000 grants at Bruno's direction since the 2001 fiscal year. The $500,000 in grants from a pork barrel fund Bruno controls are remarkable because for-profit companies almost never receive these member items, as such earmarks are called.
Apparently, the taxpayers of New York, courtesy of Joe "the glitch" Bruno, have been giving, not loaning, money to Evident Technologies for "operating assistance". Nice work if you can get it.
And of course Bruno doesn't have any "personal ties" with the company.
Bruno's spokesman, Mark Hansen, said Bruno does not have personal ties to Evident.
And of course this statement, like so many others from the Majority Leader, is a flat out LIE. |
Bruno has ties to two Evident principals -- Jared Abbruzzese and Wayne Barr -- both of whom share the senator's keen interest in horse racing.
Abbruzzese is a Loudonville resident under investigation by the state lobbying commission for providing his aircraft to Bruno for several trips, including a fund-raiser and tour of horse farms in Kentucky last year that Barr set up for Bruno. He is described by one associate as a close friend of Bruno.
Abbruzzese's wife, Sherrie, was among the buyers of land sold by First Grafton Corp., a firm in which Bruno was a 25 percent owner. She bought 12 waterfront acres in 2004 for $90,000, according to Rensselaer County records.
Barr, Abbruzzese's business partner in various ventures, was an appointee of Bruno's on the New York Racing Association Board of Trustees until earlier this year.
....
Barr said his and Abbruzzese's friendship with Bruno had nothing to do with the member item...
So Joe doesn't know the guy under investigation for lending his private jet to him for "several trips" for such things as a fund raiser and a "tour of horse farms in Kentucky" or the person who shares his "keen interest in horse racing" that he appointed to the state's Racing Association Board of Trustees.
There is a word for such statements. The term "bullshit" comes to mind.
Keep 'em coming, Mr Bruno. We'll keep calling you out on them.
Hat tip to DIA who diaried this story earlier today. |
