Considering what this country went through after the stolen 2000 election, a little schadenfreude seems in order. As reported in the Albany Times Union, It's federal prison for Spargo - Former state Supreme Court justice sentenced to 27 months for shakedowns, soliciting bribe
Why should we care? From the article:
The 66-year-old Republican from East Berne -- a former top election law attorney who went to bat in Florida for George W. Bush after the disputed 2000 presidential election -- must report to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons on Feb. 9.
Once a thug, always a thug. Seems Spargo has been a go-to guy for those trying to highjack other elections.
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That Spargo is going to prison is welcome news in a way - at least there's accountability at some level. It speaks volumes that it's because he tried to rip off some lawyers rather than for what he did to the electoral process.
In 2002, Spargo faced accusations of ethical violations from the state Commission on Judicial Conduct that were unrelated to his future removal from the bench and criminal case. He was indicted a year ago on charges he attempted to extort attorneys to offset his legal costs.
He was convicted on Aug. 27. Spargo recently was disbarred because of the conviction.
Spargo joins another alumni of the Brooks Brothers Riot in disgrace, former NY 20 CongressmanJohn Sweeney - who lost to now NY Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. Sweeney has left a trail of personal disaster behind him since, including allegations of domestic abuse, two DWI incidents, questions about business dealings, etc.
Take what measure of schadenfreude you can from this, considering how much these two and so many more were implicated in, and how few of them have suffered any consequences for their actions. It is truly amazing the way the crimes of the past 8 years seem to have become 'disappeared'. The collective ability of the media and politicians of both parties to achieve bipartisan consensus on this is mind-boggling.
Well, let's not forget the one real public service Spargo, Sweeney and their fellow thugs did - they may well have saved us from Vice President Lieberman.