What do you think the chances are that longtime New Jersey state senator and political powerbroker is wishing he could be going before federal Judge Ronald Buckwalter this morning?
Bryant will be in court in Trenton to be sentenced for his convictions on bribery and pension fraud charges. He could be looking at up to 10 years in prison.
His counterpart across the river, the former powerful state Sen. Vince Fumo, got a break when he appeared before Buckwalter.
Prosecutors were seeking 15 years in prison for Fumo, who had been convicted of all 137 counts against him connected to ripping off the Senate and a couple of non-profits of millions of dollars.
But Fumo had a slew of political and civic heavyweights write letters asking the judge to show mercy and consider Fumo’s long public service.
It worked. Buckwalter veered away from even his own guideline and sentenced Fumo to just 55 months in prison. This week he did likewise for Fumo’s partner in crime, trusted aide Ruth Arnao. She got a year and a day in jail.
Bryant might not be that lucky. And if he’s not, what kind of message does that send? Is there in fact two different kinds of justice, one for white collar criminals in New Jersey, and another for those in Pennsylvania?
It will be very interesting to see what kind of sentence Bryant receives.
Bryant will be in court in Trenton to be sentenced for his convictions on bribery and pension fraud charges. He could be looking at up to 10 years in prison.
His counterpart across the river, the former powerful state Sen. Vince Fumo, got a break when he appeared before Buckwalter.
Prosecutors were seeking 15 years in prison for Fumo, who had been convicted of all 137 counts against him connected to ripping off the Senate and a couple of non-profits of millions of dollars.
But Fumo had a slew of political and civic heavyweights write letters asking the judge to show mercy and consider Fumo’s long public service.
It worked. Buckwalter veered away from even his own guideline and sentenced Fumo to just 55 months in prison. This week he did likewise for Fumo’s partner in crime, trusted aide Ruth Arnao. She got a year and a day in jail.
Bryant might not be that lucky. And if he’s not, what kind of message does that send? Is there in fact two different kinds of justice, one for white collar criminals in New Jersey, and another for those in Pennsylvania?
It will be very interesting to see what kind of sentence Bryant receives.
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