How Far Will Preet Bharara Go in His War on Albany?
Is this what Preet Bharara meant by “stay tuned”?
Back in January, at a press conference detailing charges against Democratic State Assembly Speaker Shelly Silver, the crusading United States Attorney teased reporters with those words, an unmissable hint that more big corruption cases were in his pipeline. And last night, the Times broke another bombshell Albany scandal story: That Bharara appears to be pursuing an indictment of Dean Skelos, the Republican majority leader of the state Senate.
Skelos was always the more social of the two longtime legislative bosses. So it’s fitting, in a sense, that his pending troubles are said to involve his son, Adam. Skelos the younger worked for an Arizona company that makes spongelike filters that remove pollutants from storm water. According to the Times, Bharara has impaneled a grand jury to hear allegations that Adam Skelos helped the company soak up a Nassau County contract worth as much as $12 million, possibly gaining an edge in the bidding from his father’s lofty position in state government.
How the dots connect, or if they connect at all, isn’t clear. There are important distinctions between insider connections and illegal influence. No charges have been filed against any Skelos. But the new flurry of subpoenas and testimony has started wheels turning in Albany: If Dean Skelos is indicted, will he lose his post atop the senate?
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The governor got some new ethics laws out of his Moreland maneuvers. But the aftermath may be more than Cuomo bargained for. With Silver toppled and Skelos under investigation, Albany is tuned in, wondering if Bharara will go after the third man in the room next.
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2015/04/preet-bhararas-war-on-albany-continues.html
