With Senator Joe Bruno scheduled to be sentenced on Thursday on corruption charges, several prominent lawmakers were asked for their thoughts on the former Senate Majority Leader’s conviction. Speaker Sheldon Silver offered up one of the most interesting responses.

“I have no comment, it’s in the judiciary system now,” Silver said. “He was a Senator, I’m an Assemblyman. He was a Republican, I’m a Democrat. He was NOT my colleague.”

Several prominent politicians have written letters defending Bruno leading up to his day in court. Among them, Governor George Pataki, who wrote a letter to Judge Gary Sharpe asking him to take into consideration Bruno’s accomplishments when deciding the former Senator’s fate.

“Bruno has had a record of extraordinary accomplishments and throughout his career in public service did much to improve the lives of all New Yorkers,” Pataki wrote. “As you deliberate on his sentencing, I respectfully request that you take these contributions into account.”