Free Republic

An obscure provision in the law that has allowed the clock to continue running on Guy Velella's jail sentence — even as he's appealed his sentence from the comfort of his own home — should be scrapped, Mayor Bloomberg said yesterday.

NEW YORK (AP) -- The head of a little-known city commission that granted an early jail release to an influential state senator has resigned under fire. Raul Russi, chairman of the Local Conditional Release Commission, submitted his resignation to Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Tuesday. The mayor had been expected to oust him. "In light of the commission's decision to grant the early release of former state Senator Guy Velella, Chairman Russi has decided that it was in the best interests of the City of New York to have new leadership at the commission," the mayor said. The former Buffalo police...

After last month's primary, Democratic leaders in the Bronx grew more hopeful about their chances of capturing the state Senate seat that had long been held by Guy J. Velella, the once-powerful Republican lawmaker who was convicted of felony bribery charges. In the primary, Assemblyman Stephen B. Kaufman, a Democrat, who also had the backing of the Republicans, sought to win both the Democratic and Republican nominations. But he lost both primaries, a defeat that was an embarrassment to the Republicans who had supported him. But any expectations that Democrats would easily capture the prized Republican Senate seat may have...

<p>April 30, 2002 -- ALBANY - Bronx state Sen. Guy Velella has been indicted on bribery charges by the Manhattan District Attorney's Office and could be arrested as soon as tomorrow, The Post has learned. Velella, the Bronx County Republican chairman and one of the most powerful GOP leaders in the state Legislature, had been named in a sealed indictment just handed down by a Manhattan grand jury, a knowledgeable source said.</p>