Assemblyman William F. Boyland Jr. was indicted for a second time yesterday, accused by federal prosecutors of soliciting $250,000 in bribes in exchange for political favors. Earlier this month Boyland Jr. was acquitted on other corruption charges, and he used court-appointed attorneys in his defense, which cost taxpayers $125 an hour. They got him off that time, and so why mess with perfection? Boyland Jr. will once again be passing along the costs of his alleged corruption to his constituents. Cut him some slack, he's broke!
Boyland submitted a financial affidavit in Brooklyn Federal Court listing his monthly income as $4,160, which includes $3,200 from his job in the state Assembly and $960 in "rental income," the Daily News reports. But he says he has $4,629 in monthly expenses which include car payments, utilities, school tuition, and $2,170 for the mortgage on his home which he valued at $460,000. "He really doesn't have any money," a source close to Boyland tells the News. Can you blame the poor guy for soliciting bribes (allegedly!)?
The Times reports that Boyland Jr., a 41-year-old Democrat, had one of the worst attendance records in the State Assembly this year, absent for 20 of the 60 days the Assembly was in session. Brownsville, the economically depressed and crime-ridden neighborhood that is part of Boyland Jr.'s district, isn't surprised that the AWOL Assemblyman is in trouble again. The paper of record paid a visit to the neighborhood in the wake of his latest indictment, and found that "few in the community could supply concrete answers on Wednesday about services that Mr. Boyland had delivered to his constituents."
"Of course — you expect more," area man Devon Moore tells the Times. "But look where you’re at." And Tony Herbert, an activist who plans to run for Boyland Jr.'s seat, declares, "The community loses again, not only to violence but to corruption."
