Lawmakers go undercover in New York corruption probe

ALBANY, N.Y. — New York lawmakers are eyeing each carefully, watching every word they say and making only half-joking suggestions that they should start every meeting with a mutual pat-down.

It's a paranoia born of what some here see as the ultimate betrayal: Two lawmakers have gone undercover wearing recording devices as part of a growing federal corruption probe that has resulted in indictments against four lawmakers in the past month. At least a half-dozen more are known to be caught on tape.

Edgy politicians wonder who else could be wearing a wire.

"It's created a chilling effect on the ability to have meetings," said Sen. Kevin Parker of New York City's Brooklyn borough. "Colleagues are being very cautious about what they are saying. There's a lot of tension."

"You almost don't know who's next."

Albany denizens who for decades grew comfortable talking in clubby, insular backrooms now suddenly find the tables turned because of an investigation that is piercing their inner circles.

U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, who railed last month against the "casualness and cockiness" of the corruption in Albany, seemed to enjoy making lawmakers ill at ease.

"If you are a corrupt official in New York," he warned, "you have to worry that one of your colleagues is working with us."

Some lawmakers are considering whether staying in office is worth the risk.

"There are any number of people thinking, 'Is this worth it? And for how long?'" said Sen. Liz Krueger, a Democrat from Manhattan. "I have heard people joke about taking their legislative experience off their resumes."

For six months, the FBI essentially moved into the red, Cape Cod-style home of Democratic Sen. Shirley Huntley of New York City after she told them she knew about corruption in Albany and described seeing bags of cash in the state Senate building elevators, her lawyer said.

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