Democrat Portrait of the Day

Well, not quite the quite of portrait he'd sit for and have hanging in his office, which could well have been in the governor's mansion had he not become a common criminal. You might recognize him as former New York State Comptroller Alan Hevesi. He's now known as Prisoner No. 1R1334.

Here’s Alan Hevesi, a disgraced, broken, jailed man — a symbol of Albany’s systemic corruption and a warning for other crooked politicians who follow in his footsteps.

This startling photo, released yesterday by the state Correctional Services Department, shows the once-dapper former state and city comptroller — known for his well-cut suits and carefully combed hair -- looking like the run-of-the-mill crook he has become.

With his newly shorn head and weary expression, he could be a Mafia rat or a career criminal instead of a once-powerful and respected official.

And, to no one's surprise, he could be any one of the dozens of state officials -- including a governor -- who in recent years have been linked to, or caught in, serious crimes.

Hevesi -- or Prisoner No. 1R1334 -- is serving a one to four years at the Ulster Correctional Facility in upstate Napanoch.

All male prisoners entering the state's prison system are required to shave their heads bald for hygiene purposes, according a Correctional spokeswoman.

Hevesi started his stint behind bars Friday. That brief time has already taken its toll on the 71-year-old former Queens College political-science professor.

In addition to losing his hair, Hevesi is battling health problems in prison.

His first day in the grim lockup was spent in the infirmary.

Officials refused to disclose why.

The sisters probably just had a welcoming party for him.

Tea Partier to Plead Guilty to Felony Charges

Well, that would most surely be the headline if this criminal was a member of the Tea Party. Or a Republican. But since he's a formerly powerful New York Democrat, the New York Times figures it's not worth mentioning his party affiliation.

Former State comptroller Alan G. Hevesi was to plead guilty on Thursday morning to a felony count stemming from a state pension scandal, several people involved in the case said. He was in custody and awaiting arraignment in State Supreme Court in Manhattan.

Mr. Hevesi has been a subject of a lengthy investigation focusing on allegations that his friends, family and associates sold access to the state’s $125 billion pension fund, one of the world’s largest, to reward allies, pay back political favors and reap millions of dollars for themselves.

Mr. Hevesi was brought into the court by two marshals with his hands cuffed in front him beneath a draped trench coat. Once inside the lobby, he had his hands uncuffed before being taken to the fifth floor for his arraignment.

Mr. Hevesi’s plea would make him the highest-ranking state official convicted in the case. In 2006, he pleaded guilty to a separate felony after admitting that he had used state workers to chauffeur his ailing wife, but he avoided jail time in that case after he agreed to resign.

Who knows, if Hevesi plays his cards right he'll have a primetime show on CNN in no time.

H/T Spitfire Murphy.

Another Great Vetting Job: Obama's Car Czar Under SEC Investigation

Way to go, Barry O, another fine hire you've got here.

Steven Rattner, the leader of the Obama administration's auto task force, was one of the executives involved with payments under scrutiny in a probe of an alleged kickback scheme at New York state's pension fund, according to a person familiar with the matter.

A Securities and Exchange Commission complaint says a "senior executive" of Mr. Rattner's investment firm met with a politically connected consultant about a finder's fee. Later, the complaint says, the firm received an investment from the state pension fund, then paid a $1.1 million fee.

The "senior executive," not named in the complaint, is Mr. Rattner, according to the person familiar with the matter. He is co-founder of the investment firm, Quadrangle Group, which he left to join the Treasury Department to oversee the auto task force earlier this year.

A spokeswoman for the Treasury, which is in charge of the auto task force, said that "during the transition, Mr. Rattner made us aware of the pending investigation."

In the long-running pay-to-play case, authorities allege that about 20 investment firms made payments in exchange for investments from the $122 billion New York State Common Retirement Fund. The case, being investigated by New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo and the SEC, has led to three criminal indictments and a guilty plea.
...
Mr. Rattner, 56 years old, is a veteran deal maker who co-founded New York-based Quadrangle in 2000 after spending years as an investment banker at Lehman Brothers, Morgan Stanley and Lazard Freres & Co., where he rose to the No. 2 spot. Earlier this year, President Barack Obama tapped him to lead a task force of two dozen people to figure out how to restructure ailing U.S. auto makers General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC.

Hank Morris, who was the top political adviser and chief fund-raiser for former New York Comptroller Alan Hevesi, was a placement agent named in the SEC complaint. The deputy comptroller, who helped produce "Chooch," was David J. Loglisci.

Both men were arrested last month and charged in a 123-count state criminal indictment that included money-laundering, enterprise-corruption and bribery charges. The SEC filed civil-fraud charges against the two men. Attorneys for the two men have denied the accusations.

H/T The Rhetorician

Shocker! Former Schumer Aide Busted in Million-Dollar Kickback Scheme

Chuckie Schumer was unavailable for comment, naturally.

A longtime Democratic consultant to former state Comptroller Alan Hevesi is one of two men indicted today on a pay-to-play kickback scheme involving the state pension fund, officials said.

Hank Morris, who once worked for Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and David Loglisci, who served as Hevesi's deputy comptroller for Pension Investment and Cash Management, are the first people to be charged following a two-year investigation by state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo.

Both men were charged with 123 counts, including enterprise corruption, grand larceny, money laundering and Martin Act offenses, according to a 123-page indictment filed in Manhattan Supreme Court.

"By injecting politics and self-dealing into investment decisions at the State pension fund, the defendants are alleged to have corrupted the New York State Comptroller's Office," said Cuomo.

Morris is accused of pocketing $30 million in fees from financial firms that won business with the pension fund during Hevesi's time in office.

I wonder if Schumer will tax 100% of that $30 million?

The Associated Press, naturally, avoids mentioning the word Democrat.

More here.

A real big week for Chuckie Schumer. One of his biggest contributors in Bernie Madoff goes away for life and now one of his former aides gets busted for ripping off millions. Of course the only time we see him preening for the cameras is when he's threatening to tax AIG executives. Funny how his relationship to scandal goes virtually unnoticed.