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ALBANY---In the wake of the disclosure that Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno (R-Brunswick) is under investigation by the FBI regarding his business dealings and his relationship with businessman Jared Abbruzzese, Bruno's long time legal advisor has suddenly retired.
John McArdle, spokeman for Bruno, has confirmed that chief counsel Kenneth Riddett, 56, of Glenmont has filed his retirement papers to close out a 33-year career in public service.
Riddett had served as part-time town justice in Guilderland for 20 years, declining to seek reelection in 2005.
He had been the town justice in the controversial T-shirt case involving Stephen Downs, chief attorney for the state Commission of Judicial Conduct. Downs had been arrested in 2003 at Crossgates Mall in Guilderland after refusing to take off a T-shirt that read "Peace on Earth" on one side and "Give Peace a Chance" on the other. Downs was handcuffed and arrested for trespassing.
Riddett later dismissed the charge.
Allegations have been made against Bruno involving his connection with Evident Technologies, a company to which Bruno steered $500,000 in state grants from the Empire State Development Corp. Two of Evident's directors, co-founder Jared Abbruzzese and Wayne Barr, a former co-chairman, are personal friends of Bruno's and share his avid interest in horse racing.
Abbruzzese was formerly associated with Empire Racing Associates, one of several groups including Excelsior Group, led by Steve Swindal, son-in-law of NY Yankees' owner George Steinbrenner and gambling magnate Richard Fields, which is seeking the state franchise to operate thoroughbred racing in New York at the Aqueduct, Belmont and Saratoga racetracks.
As Senate Majority Leader, it is expected that Bruno will play a key role in awarding the racing franchise.
The state Lobby Commission is currently investigating Abbruzzese for providing Bruno with free air travel on his private plane for several trips including a tour of Kentucky horse farms owned by Barr.
Riddett had accompanied Bruno on an October 2005 plane ride to a Kentucky racetrack and horse auction. McArdle claimed that Riddett's sudden retirement from his $180,000 a year post had nothing to do with the ongoing federal investigation and that Riddett had been planning to retire for some time.
Accompanying Bruno and Riddett on the Kentucky plane trip was veterinarian Jerry Bilinski, former chairman of the state Racing and Wagering Board. Bilinski, a long-time friend of Bruno's, once jointly owned horses with him and is the recipient of one of one of the federal subpoenas issued in the Bruno probe, according to published reports. Bilinski had served as a consultant to Bruno about the future of the horse racing industry.
Public records indicate that Riddett had just received a 7.8% increase in salary.
It is expected that Bruno, 77, will be reelected majority leader of the Senate on Jan. 3 when it begins it's new session, making Bruno the most powerful Republican in the state. After Bruno had learned that someone had leaked information concerning the federal inquiry to the media, Bruno called a news conference before Christmas to confirm that the FBI probe had been ongoing since March, asking questions about his private consulting company, Capital Business Consultants LLC which he operated out of his Troy home.
The company provides marketing, business strategy and business development services.
A federal grand jury has issued more than 10 subpoenas in the case.
Bruno claims that under the state Constitution legislators are part-time and are allowed to be have outside employment. Bruno said that his consulting firm had been cleared by the Legislative Ethics Committee.
Abbruzzese allegedly has paid Bruno several hundred thousands of dollars as a private consultant and was a client at the time that the firm in which he has an interest received the $500,000 grant, "state member item", at the direction of Bruno.
Albany lobbyist and close friend of Bruno, attorney James Featherstonhaugh, has revealed that federal investigators have asked him to produce records of a real estate deal in which both he and Bruno were involved, First Grafton Corp. The firm was dissolved in May 2005 and Bruno had owned 25% of the venture through a blind trust formed in 1992. The operation was formed to create residential developments on 625 acres in the town of Grafton near Bruno's home.
Other principals in the real estate venture were Bruno's brother, Peter; Doug Rutnik, father of newly elected Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand, and Richard Carota, a Glens Falls businessman and associate of Peter Bruno.
Bruno's son, lobbyist Kenneth Bruno, former Rensselaer County district attorney, built a house on property he and his ex-wife purchased from First Grafton for $44,000.
Published reports have indicated that Abbruzzese's wife, Sherrie who is listed as the manger of Dove Interests LLC, bought a 12-acre lot from First Grafton for $90,000 in 2004.
It is expected that majority counsel Michael Avella, Troy's former first deputy corporation counsel, will replace Riddett. Avella is currently treasurer to the state Republican Committee. 12-31-06
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© 2006 North
Country Gazette
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