| James Odato at Times Union has the skinny:
ALBANY -- The Troy firm that received $500,000 through Sen. Majority Leader Joseph Bruno had no strings attached to the money, and got another $525,000 from the state authority overseeing the grants.
Evident Technologies Inc. not only received two $250,000 grants sponsored by Bruno, but also got $525,000 from Empire State Development Corp.'s venture capital fund, state officials said.
Bruno's member item grants to Evident were highly unusual because such legislative grants almost always go to nonprofit organizations.
So, there were multiple grants, huh? Member Items and cash from the Empire State Development Corp.'s venture capital fund. Great example of how these guys have access to all sorts of money in all sorts of places and how they use the rest of the government's agencies as their own Santa Clause funds. (more about reappropriation and state authority borrowing practices later).
Odato continues:
The grants were also remarkable because friends of Bruno have been investors and directors of Evident. They also contributed to his Republican Senate Committee and one provided plane rides to Bruno and is under investigation for potentially exceeding lobbying gift limits.
Assembly Democrats are advised they cannot use member item funds on for-profit companies such as Evident, said Charles Carrier, spokesman for Speaker Sheldon Silver, D-Manhattan.
(emphasis mine)
I encourage you to read the entire article, but make sure you hold your nose while you do. This one stinks.
Accountability and Reform!
Accountability and Reform!
Accountability and Reform!
We demand nothing less. |
The excellent diary, 
