Sen. Tom Libous, the number two ranking Republican in the state Senate, has been indicted on making a false statement to federal law enforcement, according to records unsealed on Tuesday.
In a separate, six-count indictment, the Binghamton lawmaker’s son Matthew Libous was charged with filing false tax returns and obstruction as well as making false statements regarding his income.
The case against Tom Libous, a prominent figure at the state Capitol for decades and the floor leader for the GOP conference, stems from an investigation into whether he used his clout in order to arrange a job for his son at a lobbying firm — a claim first brought to the attention of ethics regulators by then-Binghamton Mayor Matthew Ryan.
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According to the indictment, the FBI and the criminal investigation division of the Internal Revenue Service were probing whether Tom Libous had arranged for his son to receive a job at a law firm in exchange for steering business, which resulted in an unnamed lobbying entity to pay the firm $50,000 in order defray costs.
A grand jury was investigating whether Libous told a partner at the law firm that it would be able to “build a new wing” in order accommodate the business that would flow in once his son was hired.
Federal law enforcement officials charge that Libous’ false statements included that he could not recall how his son started to work at the firm, no deals were made to get his son a job at the firm, he was unaware that his son’s salary was drawn in part by a lobbying entity, that he never promised to refer work to the firm and that he had no business or personal relationship with the law firm.
This kind of deal-making is fraudulent, but Governor Cuomo wheeling and dealing away criminal investigations conducted by the Moreland Commission in exchange for stuff he wanted in the budget apparently isn't.
Funny how that is.
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