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Uh Oh. Bruno Used Campaign Cash For "Vacation"

by: phillip anderson

Mon Jan 29, 2007 at 08:40:29 AM EST

Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno used state-regulated campaign funds to pay for his stay at an exclusive south Florida hotel last year, during a three-day trip he has described as "a vacation."

His staff, too, initially insisted the trip was private.

However, state law makes "the personal use of contributions received by a candidate or political committee" a crime "if such personal use is unrelated to a political campaign or the holding of a public office or party position."

Bruno's claim that the trip was a private vacation raises questions about his use of campaign money to help pay for it. Last week, Bruno and his staff refused to answer additional questions or discuss details of the senator's visit to Florida.

Ouch. This one is gonna hurt.

On Jan. 12, a Bruno spokesman declined comment on the senator's Florida visit, saying it was a private trip that did not involve Bruno's role as a public official.

Two days later, after a Times Union story disclosed details about the interest authorities have in the Florida junket, the senator's spokesman, John McArdle, told the New York Daily News: "It was a private trip, and we're not going to discuss anything he does in his private life that doesn't affect what he does as a public official."

Then, on Jan. 18, when pressed about Bruno's use of campaign funds at the hotel, and his activities while there, Bruno's office responded: "... a fundraiser was scheduled in Florida the following month, (and) a portion of the trip did involve meetings and talks with potential campaign contributors about supporting the Senate majority."

In a local radio interview that same day, Bruno criticized the Times Union's report and said he had not "had a vacation in 35 years."

Nice.

Jan. 18: In response to questions about Bruno's use of campaign funds and other issues, McArdle issues the following statements: "Senator Bruno's trip to Florida did not involve government-related business or his role as a public official. Given that a fundraiser was scheduled in Florida the following month, a portion of the trip did involve meetings and talks with potential campaign contributors about supporting the Senate majority." "Again, as the trip was private and did not involve his role as a public official, we are not commenting on details of the trip beyond matters that Senator Bruno has publicly discussed."

This one is gonna hurt. This one will leave a mark.