If a question never gets asked can anyone answer it

I haven’t gotten any more letters from Barry so I have to move on to other issues (do you think someone finally told him to stop sending me presents?).

I have tried very hard not to comment on the Joe Bruno investigation, trial etc for a lot of reasons. Including some very personal connections to both Joe and the case. Joe gave me my start in government and helped the Spitzer minions put an end to that same government career.In addition the lobby commission investigation of Jared Abbrussezze, while I was the executive director, formed the basis for some of the charges brought against Joe. (a case those clowns at PIC can’t figure out how to conclude – I know I’m obsessed with how incompetent they are but that doesn’t change the fact that they are). But just this once I think I can bring up an issue that relates to the case and integrity in Albany without my personal feelings or connections having any effect on the comment.

I was watching the drama unfold over the last couple of days in the Times Union stories by Brendan Lyons regarding Joe Bruno’s federal conviction, his appeal, the offer made or not made by the feds to help the DA or the AG prosecute under state law, the AG’s response and Fred Dicker’s coverage in the New York Post of the feds letter to Bruno’s lawyer regarding reversal of the felony convictions and Bruno’s lawyers response to that letter and one question kept popping up in my head.

If the feds think there are sufficient facts to bring a different case against Bruno and/or the feds are planning to recharge Bruno using something other than the honest services statute WHY DIDN”T THEY DO IT IN THE FIRST PLACE?

It’s a question that should have been asked by someone in the media a long time ago.

And while the answer is of professional interest to me I can’t help but think this being Albany that when a question is never asked it’s because the people with the answers don’t want it to be asked.

This latest episode in what has been a pretty sordid affair is starting to feel a lot like a John Grisham novel, but without a hero.