Skell New York Politician Still A Convicted Felon At Press Time

The most unfortunate part of the recent Supreme Court ruling eviscerating the “honest services fraud” law is that some corrupt public officials and businessmen will likely see their felony raps voided (see: Jeff Skilling and Conrad Black).

Which brings us to Joseph Bruno, the skell who used to help run New York from his perch atop the State Senate. The Republican, 81, was convicted last December on two federal corruption counts for trading on his office to pocket consulting fees from clients who did business with Albany.

Bruno, who paid for his criminal defense with more than $1 million in campaign funds, was sentenced to two years (though the “honest services” ruling may, sadly, spare him a prison term). Until then, however, Bruno remains a convicted felon. He is pictured here in a United States Marshals Service mug shot. Bruno posed in front of a USMS cinder block wall just like the federal perps seen here, here, and here.