Former Republican kingpin gets

Dickstein/Times Unio

Former Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, once one of the state's kingmakers, was sentenced to two years in federal prison Thursday.

ALBANY - Former Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, once one the state's most feared powerbrokers, was sentenced to two years in federal prison Thursday.

Bruno, 81, became the latest - and perhaps the most notable - state politician to face time behind bars after his December conviction on federal corruption charges.

But when he reports to prison may be up to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The high court is reviewing three cases involving the "honest services" provision of federal law that led to Bruno's conviction.

U.S. District Judge Gary Sharpe said he wanted to see how the Supremes rule before ordering the upstate Republican to the slammer.

In addition to his prison time, Bruno was slapped with three years post-release supervision and ordered to fork over $280,000 in restitution - including $100,000 yesterday.

Prosecutors wanted Bruno to serve eight years.

Sharpe rapped the disgraced senator for a lack of contrition.

"I sat here listening for you to turn to the citizens of New York and say, 'I'm sorry,'" Sharpe said. "You didn't do it because you don't believe you did anything wrong."

A defiant Bruno, who did not take the stand during his 22-day trial, told the judge as much.

"In my heart and in my mind I know I did nothing wrong," he said. "Maybe I used bad judgment, maybe I was cavalier in the way I handled my business judgments."

Bruno, who at times flashed his trademark humor, spent more than a half-hour recounting his "miserable childhoold" and the strong work ethic his father instilled.

He focused heavily on the good he did for his community and defended his performance as Senate majority leader, jokingly prodding the judge to "ask the reporters what it's like now."

Afterward, he told reporters he was "very unhappy" with the sentence. "Everything will be all right, either through the Supreme Court or through our appeal," he added.

He then walked with his legal team to a landmark downtown Albany restaurant where many of the private deals that were in question went down.

U.S. Attorney for the Northern District Richard Hartunian said the two-year sentence "reflects the seriousness of the offense, promotes respect for the law, provides just punishment and deters others from corruption."

Bruno was found guilty of accepting 11 payments worth $200,000 from two companies controlled by businessman and pal Jared Abbruzzese for consulting work he never performed.

He was also convicted of receiving $80,000 from Abbruzzese for a horse that prosecutors said was worthless.

Bruno's downfall was the latest in a string of disgraces involving Capitol lawmakers, including resignation of former Gov. Eliot Spitzer amid a prostitution scandal.