Bruno Sentenced to Two Years in Prison

By Karen DeWitt

Albany, New York – Former State Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno was sentenced to two years in prison by a federal judge Thursday, but Bruno won't have to begin serving his term until after the US Supreme Court rules whether the law he was sentenced under is actually valid.

Judge Gary Sharpe told Bruno, who was convicted of two counts of felony corruption in December, that he thought the eight years in prison that the federal prosecutors sought was too harsh, given the former long time Senate leader's age, he's now 81, and the body of good works he'd done for his community in the Capital Region. But the judge said probation would send the wrong message to the public given the severity of the crimes, and told Bruno he had "trampled on the integrity" of state government, by using the power of his office for personal financial gain. Outside the court house, Bruno continued to proclaim his innocence.

"It goes without saying that I am very unhappy with the result here," Bruno said.

Bruno remains out on bail, and does not have to report to prison any time soon. Judge Sharpe says he'll allow the former Senate leader to wait to see whether he US Supreme court upholds the theft of honest services law that Bruno was convicted under. The validity of that law is currently before the court.