FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.couriersun.com MAY 9, 2013 • THE COURIER SUN 9 HUNTLEY WORE A WIRE HELPED FEDS TAKE DOWN BROOKLYN SENATOR BY TERENCE M. CULLEN tcullen@queenscourier.com Ex-State Senator Shirley Huntley was miked up, according to federal documents. Earlier this year, Huntley pleaded guilty to covering up funds funneled through a nonprofi t organization. The newly released federal documents show that last summer—before her arrest— she was asked by federal authorities to wear a wire during meetings with several state legislators. Brooklyn State Senator John Sampson was among those lawmakers. Huntley is now the second elected offi cial known to have cooperated with federal agents to help nab other alleged wrongdoers. Sampson was arrested on Monday, May 6 and charged with two counts of embezzlement, fi ve counts of obstruction Checking that earns like savings. BestRate Checking 1.00APY1 % On balances of $5,000 or more. Plus, get up to $ 1 5 0 when you open a new checking account.2 Additionally, a BestRate Checking account provides you with: Free online banking and bill pay, Free Mastercard® ATM/Debit card, Free direct deposit and more. For more information or to find a branch near you, call 800.581.2889 or visit www.FlushingBank.com. 1 New accounts and new money only. Existing checking account customers are not eligible. An existing checking customer is defined as anyone who currently has or has had a Flushing Bank checking account within the last 24 months. New money is defined as money not currently on deposit with Flushing Bank. The APY is effective March 1, 2013. The annual percentage yield (APY) for BestRate Checking is 1.00% and will remain in effect for 90 days after account opening. At the end of this 90-day period the rate will revert to 0.60% and rate may change at any time without notice. You must maintain a daily balance of $5,000 for the statement cycle to receive the disclosed yield and to avoid the monthly maintenance fee of $10. A daily balance below $5,000 will be assessed a lower Annual Percentage Yield. Fees may reduce earnings. 2 New accounts and new money only. Existing checking account customers are not eligible. An existing checking customer is defined as anyone who currently has or has had a Flushing Bank checking account within the last 24 months. This offer is limited to one checking account per household. Minimum deposit required to open a new checking account is $100. Debit Card Purchases – You will receive $75 for the completion of 5 debit card purchases. Each debit card purchase must be $25 or more. Online Banking Bill-payments OR Direct Deposit – You will receive $75 for completing 5 online banking bill-payments via Flushing Bank’s Online Banking portal OR signing up for and receiving a recurring direct deposit of $250 or more. Each online bill-pay must be $25 or more. Tax refund checks do not qualify as direct deposit. Online Bill-payments, Debit Card Purchases and Direct Deposits must be completed prior to 60 days after the account is opened. THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT ANY CUSTOMER CAN RECEIVE IS $150. The compensation will be credited to the checking account on or about 75 days after the account is opened. A 1099 will be issued in the amount credited to your account. Other fees and restrictions may apply. All offers are subject to change and termination without prior notice at any time. Speak with a Flushing Bank representative for more details and information about these offers. Flushing Bank is a registered trademark of justice and two counts of making false statements to the FBI. The arrest made Sampson the fourth state legislator to be arrested within about a month. Queens State Senator Malcolm Smith was arrested on April 2 and Bronx Assemblymembers Nelson Castro and Eric Stevenson were arrested later in the same week. Castro admitted to acting as a cooperating witness and promptly resigned from the Assembly. State Senator Joseph Addabbo said corruption in Albany was nothing new, but legislation needs to be in place to keep it from growing. “It’s out there,” he said. “If you want to fi nd somebody willing to line your pockets with money for a favor, it’s out there.” Addabbo said the arrest of four state legislators in a month it should spark some form of legislation before session ends in June. Campaign fi nance reform, something Addabbo has pushed for in the past, is one option, as the senator said many legislators use their election war chests for other purposes. “I’m just shocked and appalled that it’s taken this long,” Addabbo said. “We’ve had so many wake-up calls; the problem is the legislature keeps hitting the snooze button.” THE COURIER/FILE PHOTO Courtesy The New York Daily News Ex-State Senator Shirley Huntley wore a wire during meetings with several state legislators.
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