NYS Senator Libous Convicted!

[H2O Man]

NYS Senator Tom Libous (R-Binghamton) was convicted today in federal court, for repeatedly lying to the FBI. At the time, the FBI was investigating Libous -- the second most powerful republican in the state -- for political corruption; he had used his office to secure a cushy job for his son, complete with an expensive new vehicle and a hefty, unearned raise. The younger Libous was recently convicted -- like father, like son -- and has been sentenced to serve time behind bars.

See more at:
http://www.pressconnects.com/story/news/local/2015/07/22/libous-guilty/30531301/

Ole-time D.U.ers may recall that Libous, a lap dog for energy corporations (who has received generous pay-offs, er, donations from the Koch brothers), refused to speak with representatives of the pro-environment, anti-hydrofracking organizations from his district. As a result, DU member H2O Man went on a hunger strike to pressure Libous to simply converse with the environmental community.

DU member Will Pitt wrote an outstanding article for TruthOut on H2O Man’s efforts. This resulted in more wide-spread publicity.

http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/6074:in-the-clearing-stands-a-boxer-one-mans-fight-against-fracking


After eight days, H2O Man spoke to an audience of over 1,000 environmental activists at the NYS Capital Building. In his speech, he mentioned that area high school students were preparing to write to Libous’s office, to area newspapers, and begin holding rallies in front of two of the state senator’s office. When an aide reported this to Libous, he ventured out of his office, to meet with H2O Man and supporters.

[Note: I had hoped to oppose Libous in the last election. However, the Democratic Party’s county leaders had already decided upon their candidate. I obviously supported her. However, I was troubled by her refusal to speak publicly about fracking, or Libous’s being indicted in federal court. I would not run “third party,” despite being urged by friends and associates from the Democratic Left to do so. I had hoped to have the opportunity to challenge him in the future.]

[H2O Man]

1. ......

Note: I had hoped to oppose Libous in the last election. However, the Democratic Party’s county leaders had already decided upon their candidate. I obviously supported her. However, I was troubled by her refusal to speak publicly about fracking, or Libous’s being indicted in federal court. I would not run “third party,” despite being urged by friends and associates from the Democratic Left to do so. I had hoped to have the opportunity to challenge him in the future.

[joshcryer]

2. Wow! Great job! Congrats!

[H2O Man]

4. Thank you.

Political corruption isn't anything new, of course, but shitheads like Libous have such a sense of entitlement, that they think they are untouchable. He showed utter contempt for the FBI. And that was a bad mistake upon his part.

[joshcryer]

6. Incredible that there was a conviction after 5 years.

I would have given up.

[Zorra]

3. Thank you, brother. Please feel that your important, successful activist sacrifice and efforts

on our behalf, and on behalf of our mother earth are sincerely and profoundly appreciated by this DUer.

[H2O Man]

5. I really appreciate that!

Thank you very much.

I've been preparing to return to a higher level of activism, after being relatively low-key for the past 20 months. I had some pressing family issues to tend to. But I've been organizing the updated team that I'll be working with. There's a lot to be done.

[malaise]

7. This is great news

Congrats Waterman!!

[H2O Man]

8. Couldn't happen to

a guiltier guy!

[CatWoman]

9. DU's real life hero

[H2O Man]

10. Well, thank you.

While I wouldn't go that far, it surely is nice of you to!

How the heck are you? It seems like we haven't spoken in a long time. Way too long.

[CatWoman]

11. I'm melting, that's how I'm doing!!!!

it's hot as Hades here!!!!

[H2O Man]

13. We've had nigh temps,

plus numerous thunder storms. Large sections of my lawn have water lying on the surface, as the springs on the hill are all running over.

Beats the heck out of the frigid winter we just had!

[Lone_Wolf]

36. I'm a constituent of his also

I am so happy he has finally been convicted of something. The man is a crook who has made millions of dollars on a legislator's salary through his shady real estate investments for himself and his family. His lake house is a prime example. It's assessed for nearly a half million dollars which is pretty remarkable since he only spent a little over $100k to have it built by his business partner Piccirilli.

It's too bad most of the things he's done are past the statute of limitations so he can't be tried for them.

[iandhr]

12. Corruption in Albany is a longstanding bipartisan tradition.

[H2O Man]

14. Absolutely.

NYS has a disgraceful history of political corruption. And both parties have produced -- and promoted -- disgusting crooks.

Senator Libous isn't unique in that area. But that in no way takes away from the joy that his conviction brings. In fact, if anything, it should make us all happier.

[iandhr]

20. No doubt

[H2O Man]

24. Years ago,

there was a racist hate group that was attacking non-white young men in upstate New York. All of the attacks took place within Libous's district. These included the vicious attacks upon Asian-American students at SUNY-Binghamton, as well as shootings in Delaware County (luckily, no one was killed).

One of the gang's victims was my nephew, a high school senior. They resented that he got a lot of press as a scholar-athlete, who took his team to a state title. Seventeen men attacked my nephew in a dar parking lot, and left him for dead. (He lived, but sustained injuries that changed his life.)

I called Libous's office ....not that he could address a specific case, but because things were way out of control. He had played basketball in a men's league, against my nephew's father, and they were on decent terms. But, at first his office said he wanted to avoid "racial politics."

Later, he and I did communicate. Then he lied, outright, and told the then NYS Attorney General that I was "satisfied" when a DA dropped all the felony charges against the leader of the gang -- who admitted punching and kicking my unconscious nephew at least 12 times as he lay on the ground ....and agreed to a plea that he had an open beer at the time. A $50 fine for attempted murder. "Racial politics," indeed.

I've had a rather low opinion of Libous since then (1998).

[iandhr]

37. Wow

That's horrific.

[olddots]

15. thanks again H20 man

can we clone you ,the world needs more people like you.

[H2O Man]

16. Thank you!

I do appreciate that!

While I don't know about cloning, I have been working with a rather impressive group, preparing for a return to a higher level of grass roots activism. While none of them have the same amount of experience as I do in activism, they are all very talented individuals. I'm confident that we will be able to accomplish some important goals.

[Renew Deal]

17. Libous is a Cuomo pal.

"Libous, who has a close relationship with Cuomo"

http://www.pressconnects.com/story/news/local/2014/12/27/cuomo-backs-tier-casino-asks-reopened-bidding/20953789

I have to look it up but I remember Cuomo having some questionable connections to Libous.

[H2O Man]

18. Yes, absolutely.

Andrew has called Libous "his most important mentor in Albany." Not surprising from a governor who is good pals with Chris Christie.

[spanone]

19. k&r...

[H2O Man]

21. Thanks!

[panader0]

22. Oh yeah!

That article by Will Pitt was what I referred to in my previous PM.
Again, thanks for what you do.

[H2O Man]

25. Thank you!

You are a true friend.

[Uncle Joe]

23. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, H2O Man.

[H2O Man]

26. Thanks, Uncle Joe!

Lying to the FBI -- and then lying about lying -- isn't a good career move. A lot of today's agents are honest, decent men and women. And they know a crook when they see one.

[Uncle Joe]

28. That's true but sometimes they can't openly come out and say it,

they have to work behind the scenes.

[H2O Man]

30. True, that!

Poor Richard got knee-capped!

[Reter]

27. Hopefully next up will be NY's Sheldon Silver

He will likely spend the rest of his arrogant life behind bars.

[H2O Man]

29. Libous is a terrible human being.

All Americans should take pride in the fact that the justice system worked in this case. He was convicted of the same federal charges -- felonies, all -- that Scooter Libby was convicted of, per the Plame Scandal.

Sadly, a few of his supporters will try to distract attention from his being convicted in federal court on these extremely serious felony charges. But that's actually kind of hilarious.

[Reter]

33. I don't know anything about him, but I take your word for it

I'm sure he deserves the sentence he got. I just threw Silver in there because I've known about him for years, and how corrupt he is.

[Lone_Wolf]

34. He is really corrupt!!

Last edited Thu Jul 23, 2015, 06:11 AM - Edit history (1)

I'm a constituent of Libous and he is as corrupt, if not even more corrupt, as H2O Man says. He is basically this area's top, corrupt political boss who calls the shots. He and his network of cronies use this area like their own personal ATM machine. He gets a sizeable campaign donation and then they rake in state money in the form of PILOT agreements or reduced property taxes through backroom deals with our local IDA which is controlled by Libous's people.

There's so much moreand I could go on, but you get the picture.

[H2O Man]

39. Exactly!

The guy is a petty mobster. And what he was convicted for was much like Scooter Libby in the Plame Scandal -- the investigators and prosecutors knew of much, much more, but went for the lying to the FBI, in order to insure a conviction.

His uncle had been a pretty decent politician, but this guy has been slime since he took office. His network of "business" connections have run our region like a feudal state for decades. They have such a sense of entitlement, that they believe the public owes them gratitude for the few examples of true service they are associated with, and a respectful silence in regard to their abuses of power.

[Lone_Wolf]

42. Yes, totally agree

What kind of irks me is people saying he has done so much for this area, and yet when you press them on it, they really don't mention anything other than EIT, the NYSEG stadium scoreboard, the BCC ice rink, and some things for SUNY Binghamton.

The EIT deal stunk to high heaven. Matthews has made out incredible well by buying a company that was receiving all kind of state money while he and his cronies were running it into the ground. After it went bankrupt, Matthews conveniently bought it for pennies on the dollar. All of the other things he's "done" are table scraps that even the most incompetent legislator could have gotten for us.

People around us can't understand why we pay such high property taxes, but don't realize just how much of Broome County's properties are off the tax rolls due to the Libous/BCIDA people handing out big tax breaks to their politically connected friends. The rest of us are forced to subsidize this by paying higher property taxes.

The big thing now is watching the rest of the cockroaches scurry to take Libous's place. My guess is it will be Clifford Crouch who is in good graces with the gas companies.

[H2O Man]

43. Right.

Libous attempted to lecture me about his "doing more for local schools than anyone in the state." I knew he was upset at the prospect of having high school students hold rallies in front of his Binghamton and Norwich offices (while they were not going to take a stance on fracking,they had sent letters to his office saying his refusal to meet with the pro-environmental community was unacceptable, and the opposite of what they were being taught in civics classes).

In fact, old Tom had been okay in some instances -- but that was his job. And he tended to do something "special" -- not make real changes in funding -- so he could get his picture in the local papers. But, in the past year, he betrayed upstate schools ....including the smaller, rural ones, and the larger ones in cities.

While Crouch would be the obvious choice, I'm not sure. He's getting older, and may be looking to retire. For several years, I've been urged to run against him for assembly. I am not able to, because years ago, he worked with Chief Waterman, and helped us preserve a burial ground in the town of Greene.

Crouch and his top assistant came to Onondaga, to meet with us to discuss the growing conflict between the construction industry -- which was well-organized in opposition to Indians having any say on things the industry viewed as "resources," and which we recognize as Sacred Ground -- and us. Now, the construction industry and the interests in fracking overlap to the extent that they are virtually one in the same. But Crouch, who comes from a multi-generational farming family, understood what Paul and I said. And he came out on our side, despite the very real displeasure of the opposition. Hence, in our way, while I can oppose him on issues like fracking, I cannot run against him.

I'll also add that there was a case where a mid-ranking state employee attempted to "buy" influence, by way of deals with one of Crouch's family's businesses. And Crouch turned the guy in. That's just the opposite of Libous's nature.

He is also good on upstate schools.

So, while I disagree with Crouch on fracking, etc, I think he is superior to Libous. If he does end up in the state senate, I'll be meeting with him in the same manner that Paul and I did. I won't have to go on another hunger strike.

[Lone_Wolf]

44. Interesting

Crouch is my Assemblyman (I live in the town of Fenton). Other than the fracking issue, I really have no problem with him and realize we could do much worse than a moderate Republican like him. And yes, I agree he has been very good with the upstate schools (even better than Lupardo).

Frankly, I'd be a lot more worried if Rich David or Debbie Preston ran for Libous's seat because they are basically part of the Libous machine and things will not change around here.

Personally, I hope Barb Fiala runs for it but she is a little too close to Cuomo for my liking.

After edit: I just found out Barb Fiala is planning to run.

[Raine1967]

31. I have a relative that lives one NYS district over from this one.

She is fighting to her very last breath to stop the tracking in her area (She's just outside of Oneonta)

I will send her these links.

Well done, sir. Well done.

[H2O Man]

32. There's a good chance

that she and I know each other, as I'm not far from Oneonta myself. There's a good group of activists with a real sense of social conscience in the Otsego County area.

[mmonk]

35. Vindication for you my friend.

Vindication for you and all in the anti-fracking movement about the character of politicians who have sold and are selling out this nation and nature for money.

[H2O Man]

40. Much appreciated.

I know that you understood the nature of my hunger strike campaign against Libous.

[brooklynite]

38. Or, as we call it here in NY, Thursday.

A NYS pol getting indicted or convicted hardly raises an eyebrow these days.

[H2O Man]

41. Sad, but true.

Few people are surprised when the #2 republican in the state is convicted in federal court. But, in this instance, I think it is good news for a segment of the DU community, who supported one of their own in a conflict that placed a clean glass of fresh water up against a glass of toxic sludge.