Here’s AG Andrew Cuomo’s lawsuit against Senate Majority Leader Pedro Espada Jr., which makes for fascinating reading.

The AG is right now in the middle of a telephone press conference with reporters, and he just said: “I wouldn’t be surprsied if in this case there are criminal charges down the road…We believe Mr. Espada and Soundview violated the existing laws and regulations.”

Cuomo called the alleged looting by Espada of his Bronx nonprofit “outrageous,” and also made it clear he’s not quite through with the senator.

For example, Cuomo suggested the issue of the senator’s residence, which his Espada’s primary challenger, Desiree Pilgrim-Hunter, has been highlighting of late, is “being raised and looked at.” Also, potential campaign finance violations are being considered.

In 2000, Espada was acquitted on charges of using $200,000 from a Soundview HMO in order to pay off campaign debts from 1996, while four employees were found guiltyof using taxpayer funds to help the campaigns of Espada and his son.

But this situation seems considerably more far-reaching that that situation. There’s also a piece involving Espada’s son, Pedro G., who, as you’ll recall was a Senate employee for all of a second.

Cuomo alleges the majority leader created a company that offered janitorial services and put Pedro G. in charge of it. Pedro G. then rigged the bids to make sure it won the Soundview contract – a contract worth almost $400,000 annually.

In 2008, Pedro G. earned more than $150,000 from the for-profit company and from Soundview.

Espada Complaint

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