The New York Daily News by Glenn Blain and Helen Kennedy - June 25, 2010
The conviction of former state Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno appears to be in jeopardy.
A Supreme Court ruling in favor of an imprisoned Enron honcho Thursday could exonerate a bunch of pols convicted of corruption - including ex-state Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno. The court ruled that a 20-year-old law against depriving the public or shareholders of "honest services" - a statute used to go after crooked politicians and corporate cheats - is too broad and vague. The court said the law can apply only when there's direct evidence of bribery or kickbacks. The dramatic narrowing of the fraud law could limit the corruption trial of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, free convicted former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman, as well as a host of shady small-time pols from Boston to San Diego; and overturn the verdict against Bruno. "The court has effectively gutted one of the most valuable federal laws to prosecute white collar criminals and elected officials who betray the public trust," said state Sen. Eric Schneiderman (D-Manhattan), who is running for attorney general. "This clearly puts the conviction of Joe Bruno in jeopardy." The 81-year-old Republican was convicted in December under the statute for using his clout to amass lucrative consulting fees from clients with business before the state. Bruno was accused of taking $200,000 in bogus consulting payments from companies controlled by businessman Jared Abbruzzese, who also gave the lawmaker $80,000 for a worthless racehorse. Bruno's trial revealed that he ran his side businesses from his Senate office and used taxpayer-paid staff to handle paperwork. Prosecutors never charged that he received any direct bribes or kickbacks. Instead, prosecutors focused on Bruno's conflicts of interest and failure to disclose them - violations not covered under the top court's ruling.
The conviction of former state Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno appears to be in jeopardy.
A Supreme Court ruling in favor of an imprisoned Enron honcho Thursday could exonerate a bunch of pols convicted of corruption - including ex-state Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno. The court ruled that a 20-year-old law against depriving the public or shareholders of "honest services" - a statute used to go after crooked politicians and corporate cheats - is too broad and vague. The court said the law can apply only when there's direct evidence of bribery or kickbacks. The dramatic narrowing of the fraud law could limit the corruption trial of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, free convicted former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman, as well as a host of shady small-time pols from Boston to San Diego; and overturn the verdict against Bruno. "The court has effectively gutted one of the most valuable federal laws to prosecute white collar criminals and elected officials who betray the public trust," said state Sen. Eric Schneiderman (D-Manhattan), who is running for attorney general. "This clearly puts the conviction of Joe Bruno in jeopardy." The 81-year-old Republican was convicted in December under the statute for using his clout to amass lucrative consulting fees from clients with business before the state. Bruno was accused of taking $200,000 in bogus consulting payments from companies controlled by businessman Jared Abbruzzese, who also gave the lawmaker $80,000 for a worthless racehorse. Bruno's trial revealed that he ran his side businesses from his Senate office and used taxpayer-paid staff to handle paperwork. Prosecutors never charged that he received any direct bribes or kickbacks. Instead, prosecutors focused on Bruno's conflicts of interest and failure to disclose them - violations not covered under the top court's ruling.
All of this is quite frightening.
ReplyDeleteIt's confirmed: our law schools are training criminals. This would make a great movie!
ReplyDeleteand yet these things continue..
ReplyDeleteI imagine it's almost..
Put your head between your legs time...
http://www.courthousenews.com/2010/06/24/28330.htm
(CN) - Police Tasered an 86-year-old disabled grandma in her bed and stepped on her oxygen hose until she couldn't breathe, after her grandson called 911 seeking medical assistance, the woman and her grandson claim in Oklahoma City Federal Court. Though the grandson said, "Don't Taze my granny!" an El Reno police officer told another cop to "Taser her!" and wrote in his police report that he did so because the old woman "took a more aggressive posture in her bed," according to the complaint.
"The police then proceeded to approach Ms. Varner in her bed and stepped on her oxygen hose until she began to suffer oxygen deprivation.
ReplyDelete"The police then fired a Taser at her and only one wire struck her, in the left arm; the police then fired a second Taser, striking her to the right and left of the midline of her upper chest and applied high voltage, causing burns to her chest, extreme pain and to pass out.
"The police then grabbed Ms. Varner by her forearms and jerked hands together, causing her soft flesh to tear and bleed on her bed; they then handcuffed her.