ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - The former leader of New York’s Senate, acquitted of federal fraud charges last week, said Monday he’ll ask the state to pay his legal bills.
Retired Sen. Joe Bruno said two trials and appeals cost him more than $4 million. He was accused of taking bribes to direct state grants to help a businessman and to advance his interests in thoroughbred racing.
State law authorizes reimbursement of “reasonable” attorneys’ fees for officials accused and acquitted of criminal wrongdoing while acting within the scope of their jobs or duties. Requests are reviewed by the attorney general’s office.
The 85-year-old Bruno told Albany radio station WGDJ-AM on Monday that he hopes Attorney General Eric Schneiderman will be fair and objective in reviewing his request.
“I want what’s legally due me,” Bruno said. “And I don’t want to fight about it. I hope they don’t make this partisan or political.”
Bruno, a Rensselaer County Republican, led the Senate majority for 14 years before stepping down in 2008. Schneiderman, a Democrat, is a former state senator whose district was redrawn by the Senate’s Republican majority.
Spokesmen for Schneiderman declined to comment Monday.
Issues for review include whether the prosecution resulted from Bruno’s actions within the scope of his state duties and who paid his legal bills. A defense fund was established for him. He also used more than $1 million of campaign funds to pay defense lawyers for his first trial in 2009.
The businessman, Jared Abbruzzese, testified he hired Bruno as an outside consultant and the $20,000 monthly payments weren’t bribes for the $1.75 million in subsequent state grants that supported Evident Technologies, where Abbruzzese had a minority share.
Bruno said the first trial, which lasted a month, cost him $2.7 million. He was acquitted on five charges and convicted of two that were overturned on appeal. Prosecutors refiled those, leading to his acquittal Friday after a nearly two-week trial.
Democratic Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver said Monday he doesn’t know if Bruno should be entitled to reimbursement.
“I think he suffered for six years,” he said. “He had his punishment for whatever people thought. And obviously the public thought he didn’t do anything.”
Bruno suggested federal prosecutors spent $25 million.
U.S. Attorney Richard Hartunian on Friday said prosecutors don’t break out costs by case and that the Bruno investigation was conducted by his staff and the FBI in their regular work. That includes investigating allegations of public corruption, something they’ll continue to do, he said.
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Associated Press write David Klepper in Albany contributed to this report.
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