Robert Wiesner, the husband of Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks, says he's the target of a "political prosecution".
Wiesner and his attorney James Nobles addressed the media on Thursday at the Times Square Building on Exchange Street in response to Wiesner's arrest, along with three other men, by the Attorney General's Office for the investigation into Local Development Organizations, or LDCs.
The AG’s Office alleges Wiesner participated in a scheme to rig the bidding process for Monroe County projects, funneling money to preferred vendors. Among the charges brought against Wiesner include money laundering, conspiracy, and falsifying business records.
Here’s Wiesner’s statement:
"In my 30 years in law enforcement, I have never treated a defendant as I was treated yesterday. I was a blatant and calculated act by the attorney general’s office to embarrass me, embarrass my wife and prejudice the case. As of today, I am not aware of any specific conduct that they allege I did. What I can tell you is that I was not involved in the UTC RFP, the selection committee or the awarding of that contract in any way shape or form. I was also never involved in the selection committee or the contract process with M3S. In my capacity as Director of the Security for the Monroe County Water Authority, I was continually involved in the addressing the complex needs of the authority as mandated by the EPA and recommend by the Department of Homeland Security. As a result, I can only conclude that I am [a] target of a political prosecution…I look forward to the opportunity to know what they allege I did, so that I can defend myself."
The two corporations under scrutiny by the AG's Office are the Upstate Telecommunications Corporation, or UTC, and Monroe Safety and Security Systems, known as M3S.
Nobles, Wiesner's attorney, calls the investigation in the LDCs "political" saying Wiesner an “add-on”. He claims that's because the Attorney General's Office "wanted somebody close to County Executive Maggie Brooks, and who [else] better than her husband." He also says the indictment doesn’t indicate any specific behavior that Wiesner allegedly did.
Nobles says Weisner's been charged with a class E felony. If convicted, the charge could result in jail time up to a year or a fine.
Nobles says he filed a motion to cancel the indictment.
Wiesner was advised to not take questions from the media.