The Times reports today on how Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno's various money-making schemes have drawn the attention of the FBI and a Federal grand jury. The main thrust of the article is that Bruno is a failed businessman, who received a meagre payoff in 1990 from the sale of the company he had built, Coradian Corporation - and who has therefore sought to make money in a number of ethically dodgy ways.

But the real point of the story is Bruno's "willingness to mix public and private interests," as the Times says. Actually, that's putting it politely. The issue is Bruno's clear resentment of his own obligations as a public servant. There are ethical and legal rules meant to stop politicians from exploiting their power for personal financial gain. This pisses Bruno off. As the Times says, Bruno "has for years complained that being in office has hurt his ability to make money." For instance:

“Nobody wants to hear it, but my being in office has cost me a fortune — millions, literally millions,” he said. “I’m worth a hell of a lot less today than I was 30 years ago. That’s kind of sad. I’m worth a hell of a lot less now than I was 10 years ago.”

Aw, the poor thing.

(More after the flip...)
So of course it's this self-serving resentment that has led Bruno, allegedly, to hire Albany lobbyists for his real estate venture, to buy an apartment building from a state contracter with ties to the Senate Republican campaign committee, to funnel taxpayer money to his friends' business ventures, and, of course, to just generally horse around with people who might be willing to use the power of the state to enrich themselves at the public's expense - and to cut Bruno in on the deal.

Now some of this might point back to the age-old question of whether conservatives can be trusted with government at all - if they are anti-government on principle, then they tend to govern without principles. But some of this is specifically a Joe Bruno problem. Does he just hate working for the public? So why doesn't he get out? If he wants to concentrate on getting rich, that's fine. But not when he's on the public payroll. Not with my tax dollars.

UPDATE: It occurs to me that this is yet another argument for full-time legislators. Idle hands are Jared Abbruzzese's playthings.

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