Witnesses take stand on day 2 of Bruno trial
ALBANY -- Day two in the trial of former Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno has so far seen two witnesses on the stand.
Albany lawyer and lobbyist James Featherstonhaugh first took the stand Tuesday morning to testify about his business dealings with Bruno, which included a land purchase at Grafton Lake in Rensselaer County in the 1990s.
Featherstonhaugh was also questioned about lobbying rules in New York state the inner workings of the state legislature.
He stated, "A vast majority of legislators have outside business interests. A number of legislators belong to unions."
Bruno's Albany-based attorney William Dreyer conducted the cross-examination of Featherstonhaugh.
As of noontime, the federal government's second witness Tim McGinn of McGinn Smith and Companies was on the stand. Bruno had done some work for McGinn Smith and Companies.
Bruno's Washington-based lawyer Abbe Loweell will conduct the cross-examination of McGinn.
Bruno was optimistic as he entered the courtroom this morning. "It's going to be a good day," he said as he bantered with photographers outside the courtroom. "The truth will prevail."
