ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) A longtime state assemblyman from New York City was charged Wednesday with felony counts of using his campaign funds for personal expenses.
William Scarborough, a 68-year-old Queens Democrat, was shackled and wearing a suit Wednesday morning when he pleaded not guilty in Albany County Court to charges of grand larceny and filing false campaign documents.
The 23-count indictment accuses him of taking his campaign funds and spending the money on his personal expenses. It followed an investigation by the state attorney general and comptroller's offices.
The indictment alleged Scarborough took $38,000 from the campaign account since 2007 in cash, transfers and deposits to his personal bank account and didn't report the withdrawals as required to the Board of Elections.
His lawyer, E. Stewart Jones, said Scarborough spent more of his own money on campaign expenses than he's been reimbursed by the campaign. ``There was no crime committed here,'' he said, adding that campaign finance is a gray area.
Judge Stephen Herrick ordered Scarborough released, saying he didn't believe he was a flight risk. A court conference is scheduled for Oct. 22.
The assemblyman also faces charges later Wednesday in federal court, Herrick said. Those details haven't been released.
Scarborough said in March that the FBI raided his home, offices and hotel room in an investigation of his daily expense claims. He said a misunderstanding of the Assembly voucher system led to the investigation.
Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli planned to talk to the media later Wednesday in Manhattan about developments in the public corruption case.
A spokesman for Schneiderman declined to say whether there are similar criminal investigations underway of other legislators' campaign finances.
Scarborough has been in office since 1994. He chairs the Assembly Committee on Small Business.
