Queens, NEW YORK

May 20, 2009

SENTENCED for racketeering
Brian McLaughlin, 56, (D) who served seven terms in the state Assembly (25th Assembly District) before becoming president of New York City Central Labor Council, the nation's largest municipal labor council, was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

He pleaded guilty in 2008 to racketeering charges alleging he secretly skimmed $2.2 million from various sources, including a political campaign committee, union accounts meant to provide benefits for members and even contributions to a Little League baseball program.

He admitted he used his position as a state assemblyman between 1997 and 2006 to direct state funds to a rigged community association. He created two bank accounts for the association — one to fund children's athletics, the other for personal use.

From the New York Times, "Prosecutors charged that Mr. McLaughlin had misappropriated more than $330,000 from his own re-election committee; $185,000 from the New York City Central Labor Council, which he led; and more than $35,000 from the State Assembly. They said he had created fictitious jobs within the labor council and on his own legislative staff, and took kickbacks from the jobholders."