N.Y. politician retires after FBI seizures

ALBANY, N.Y., June 25 (UPI) -- FBI officials seized 30 boxes of records from New York Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, shortly before he announced he would not seek re-election.

The records were taken Monday under subpoena from the Capitol to the office of the U.S. attorney, which has also been looking into Bruno's outside consulting business for more than two years, The New York Post reported Wednesday. The seizure occured several hours before Bruno announced his retirement.

"It was a big request for a lot of information -- 14 years' worth," a Senate official told The Post. "They wanted every piece of paper that ever came across Senator Bruno's desk, going way back."

Bruno, R-Rensselaer, insisted his sudden decision to end his 32-year Senate career had nothing to do with the federal investigation of his outside business interests, particularly with his role in securing state grants for an Albany-area business associate.

"I've never been accused of anything and don't expect to be accused of

anything because I haven't done anything wrong," Bruno said.