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Bruno gets two years in Club Fed

by: Michael Bouldin

Thu May 06, 2010 at 17:59:51 PM EDT


Breaking via Twitter: Former republic Senate Majority Leader, Joe Bruno, convicted for fraud and sentenced to two years in a Federal prison for fraud and abuse of his public office for private gain. From the Albany Times-Union:

U.S. District Court Judge Gary L. Sharpe handed down the long-awaited sentence in a tense courtroom packed with Bruno's supporters and the federal authorities who worked more than four years to convict him.

"The problem with probation is that it doesn't send a message to the public that your criminal conduct here is serious," Sharpe told Bruno.

He also noted a lack of contrition in the lengthy address Bruno delivered before his sentence.

"I know you don't believe you did anything wrong which is why I didn't here one word of contrition here."

And if there is any justice in this world, former Senator Bruno may soon be joined by the current 'majority leader' Pedro Espada, Democrat of The Bronx.

Michael Bouldin :: Bruno gets two years in Club Fed
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Here Come Da Judge (4.00 / 4)
"The problem with probation is that it doesn't send a message to the public that your criminal conduct here is serious," Sharpe told Bruno.

Quote of the trial.  Only one thing unsaid, but perhaps still visible between the lines:

Probation wouldn't send a clear enough message to the Legislature that conduct such as Bruno's is serious enough to warrant hard time.

How many Albany politicians got that message today and will have trouble sleeping tonight?


It'll need (4.00 / 2)
a few more convictions to drive that message home, I think. But this is certainly a good start.

[ Parent ]
Unfortunately... (4.00 / 1)
The federal statute under which Bruno was convicted may soon be ruled unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court, in which case I believe that Bruno could go free, with no conviction on his record.

Basically, Bruno was convicted of depriving his constituents of their intangible right to honest services.  If that sounds vague to you, it may sound just as vague to the Supremes.

I wouldn't pop that cork just yet.


Yeah... but (4.00 / 1)
maybe jail is better than some of the alternatives (probation).

[ Parent ]
The judge said (0.00 / 0)
that Bruno would not have to report to prison until the Supremes rule on the theft of honest services cases they've heard arguments on, something this summer.

The Supremes will probably rule that the theft of honest services law is too vague.

I never understood why the feds didn't go for bribery, since there were $500,000 worth of member-item quid for the quo of Abbruzzese's payments to Bruno's phony home-based consulting business.


[ Parent ]
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