“Step into my office. Yeah, my office is at the
horse track. So what?”Photo: Newscom
Over the weekend, 20,000 words were unleashed on the American reading public eager to catch up with Eliot Spitzer. Both competing profiles, in Vanity Fair and the New Yorker, painted a portrait of a governor diminished by, among other things, a hubristic tussle with Joe Bruno, the State Senate majority leader. So, how’s Bruno doing?
Great, actually! The whole Senate gig is such a breeze, in fact, what with Spitzer off his back, that Bruno has found time to pick up a second job on the side. That job is at Wright Investors’ Service, a company that’s, um, how does the Times put it? “Managing tens of millions of dollars for New York labor unions that have significant interests before the State Legislature, including measures that Mr. Bruno has backed.” Let’s go over this again, in even simpler words: People who stand to profit from Bruno’s lawmaking bring business to a firm that pays Bruno’s salary. Better yet, since the Gray Lady broke the story on Saturday, Bruno has yet to disclose his role in the company. The Albany Times Union, meanwhile, reminds us that the multitasking Bruno also runs a consulting business out of his home. In that one, he admits to his role but refuses to disclose his clients. Add to that discount horses from people who run the state thoroughbred racing and free jet rides from other people who want in on it, and there’s only one conclusion to draw: It’s way, way, way better to be Joe Bruno than Eliot Spitzer. —Michael Idov
Bruno Won’t Talk About Role at Firm [NT]
Mr. Bruno’s Other Job [Albany Times Union]
