Update 1 and 2.
# 1 via code talker
Earlier diary on this subject that was posted. But I'll post their link here rather than deleting mine. (I didn't see it on the recent diary list and this is too important to let sink.)
#2 via Tillie630 a pdf of the indictment
Capitol News 9 in Albany reporting that former Senate Republican Senate Majority Leader and longtime Republican political heavyweight Joe Bruno has been indicted on eight counts. As recently as an hour ago, the New york Times was only calling this a possibility, but Capitol 9 News in Albany is reporting that he has been indicted on eight counts of of differing charges related to a corruption investigation going back the past three years.
More below the fold and updates will follow as they become available:
From Capitol News 9
ALBANY, N.Y. -- Former Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno has been indicted by a grand jury on federal corruption charges.
Bruno spent more than three decades in the state Senate before retiring last year.
During the last few years of his career, Bruno was plagued by an
FBI investigation that was sparked by Bruno's use of private jets for people with whom he did both personal and political business.
Body: From this morning's NY Times:
Gary Lewi, a spokesman for Mr. Bruno, said, "If in fact there was action on the part of a grand jury, Senator Bruno would make himself available to speak to reporters."
"He has not been notified that this action is in fact going to take place," he added.
The three-year investigation, which became public in December 2006, has spanned a range of subjects, from Mr. Bruno’s overlapping business and political ties to a longtime friend, Jared E. Abbruzzese, to his purchases of real estate and thoroughbreds, to his relationship with a Connecticut investment company that was seeking to grow its pension business among New York labor unions.
Federal investigators have also scrutinized what work was done by Capital Business Consultants, a consulting business the senator ran out of his residence, and flights by Mr. Bruno on a private jet that were arranged by Mr. Abbruzzese.
During the investigation, federal grand jury subpoenas were issued to business executives, Senate staff members, thoroughbred owners, labor leaders and lobbyists.
Hattip to Casey Morris for this breaking story