Ex-Senator Espada Guilty of Embezzling From Health Care Network

[iandhr]

Source: NY TIMES

Pedro Espada Jr., the former state senator best known for an audacious power grab that propelled him over a perennial cloud of suspicion to a top position in the State Legislature, was convicted Monday on of stealing money from the nonprofit health care network that he founded and led in the Bronx.

The federal jury announced the guilty verdict on four counts of theft and then left the courtroom to resume deliberations on remaining four charges, which include theft, fraud and conspiracy. Mr. Espada sat expressionless, hands resting on the table in front of him, as the jury foreman read the verdict in United States District Court in Brooklyn. Each count carries a sentence of up to 10 years.

The jury, which has been locked in sometimes contentious deliberations for two weeks, did not announce a verdict on any of the counts against Pedro G. Espada, Mr. Espada’s son, who also worked at the health network, Soundview.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/15/nyregion/ex-senator-espada-guilty-of-embezzling-from-soundview-health-network.html?hp

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One of the most corrupt people in New York State politics.

[Warpy]

1. Dirty Democrats go to prison while dirty Republicans

keep their places and go on to be elder statesmen.

Espada's problem is that he ran for the wrong party.

[loudsue]

2. Dem turned repuke turned Dem

by way of blackmailing the ny dem party? What a frikkin' weasel.

"But it was not until 2009 that Mr. Espada became known throughout the state, when he participated in a coup against the party leadership shortly after the Democrats gained a narrow majority in the Senate. He defected to the Republican caucus with another lawmaker, Hiram Monserrate of Queens, a move that threw the leadership in the chamber in doubt and paralyzed state government for weeks. (Mr. Monserrate was later expelled from the Senate after a conviction for assaulting his girlfriend and this month pleaded guilty to illegally using City Council money for his own political campaign.)

Mr. Espada returned to the Democratic caucus only after the Democrats promised to appoint him majority leader of the Senate, a position he held until the federal indictment in December 2010, three months after he lost the primary election in his re-election bid."

That so sucks.

[rox63]

3. Good riddance to him

We don't need crooks like that in the party.

[loudsue]

4. true that!

We don't need them in any party! But most certainly not the people's party!