No Need to Name That Party: Top NY GOPer Indicted

If Joseph Bruno were a Democrat, you'd probably have to scour around to find his party affiliation. No need here. Eliot Spitzer was hot to destroy Bruno before he destroyed his own career, so somewhere he's probably smiling a bit today, in between bouts of remorse and heavy drinking. Spitzer somehow doesn't merit a mention in the story.

A federal grand jury today indicted former state Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno, accusing him of eight counts of public corruption.

Bruno is scheduled to appear before a federal magistrate at 1:30 p.m. today. Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew T. Baxter has scheduled a press conference for 2:30 p.m.

The 35-page indictment of Bruno was unsealed and filed in federal court sometime after noon.

Bruno, who reigned for years as one of the most powerful lawmakers in New York, is charged with using his office to deprive the public of the honest services of government.

Today's indictment marks the culmination of a three-year FBI investigation into the shadowy public and private dealings of the Brunswick Republican who rose through the ranks of state government and became one of the Capital Region's most iconic political leaders.

Bruno, 79, retired from his state Senate seat in July after 32 years in the post.

The investigation had dogged Bruno during the last two years of his political career as information surfaced publicly about the FBI's deep foray into his real-estate dealings, investments, political decisions and his ownership and breeding of thoroughbred horses. Bruno's ties to labor unions, and his secretive work as a private business consultant for an unknown number of private clients, including a Connecticut investment firm, were at the heart of the probe.

Read the rest.

The New York GOP has virtually ceased to exist, but you can be sure this merits plenty of attention from the media.

Via Ace's headlines.