Angelo Aponte | The New York Observer

Collateral Inconvenience: Bruno Case Ties Up Senate Computers

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:05:10 -0500

ALBANY—There's a computer shortage in the State Senate because federal investigators seized over 100 terminals in connection with their investigation of former Majority Leader Joe Bruno, whose trial is now underway.

"Due to the allegations against former majority leader Joe Bruno, the feds confiscated a number of Senate computers, which left the senate short in the number of available computers it had for staff and office use," said Austin Shafran, a spokesman for the...

Sides Agree to Produce Records, Keep Talking Out of Court

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 11:09:00 -0400

ALBANY—We'll have to wait until Monday, or even longer. Judge Thomas McNamara sent the dueling parties in State Senate leadership struggle back to the negotiating table—a move that has become something of a trademark for him. By my count, this is the sixth time legal action related to the case has been adjourned. After a closed, hour-long conference, the two sides also agreed to produce a transcript for the court showing the exact proceedings of June 8,...

Sampson: Let's Just Go Home

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 10:50:00 -0400

ALBANY—Democratic Senate Leader John Sampson has a new suggestion for resolving the leadership battle in his chamber: just go home. "I would like to give it one last attempt to negotiate a possible bi-partisan governance to get the work of the people done," Sampson said to Fred Dicker on WGDJ Talk 1300. "But I don't want to waste any more time. I don't want to waste their time, I don't want to waste my time,...

Session Outside?

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 11:05:00 -0400

ALBANY—Today's game of chicken in the State Senate leadership battle is over the question of whether session will actually take place indoors. "I don't know if we have a firm decision on location but session is going to take place," State Senator George Winner, a Republican from Elmira, just said. "We are committed, with our new majority in this coalition government to have session and do the people's business." Leaders of the new Senate majority--consisting of...

Quinn in Albany

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 09:15:00 -0400

ALBANY—City Council Speaker Christine Quinn spent her day in Albany lobbying legislators and the governor's staff about the need to restore New York City's municipal aid payment and education funding. I caught Quinn meeting outside the office of Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith with Angelo Aponte, secretary of the Senate. I asked Quinn how the meetings were going. She said there was nothing she walked away from "really pessimistic about," Aides to Mayor Bloomberg -...