By John DeSio and Candice M. Giove

In June, the Bronx County Democratic Party held their annual dinner in Throggs Neck. Amid a room full of elected officials and those who came to kiss their rings, no one strutted around the catering hall with more confidence than State Senator Efrain Gonzalez. Though he had been the subject of an investigation for close to two years, he reportedly told party insiders and others that the probe bore no fruit, and that he would be cleared of any wrongdoing. 

With his legal troubles apparently behind him, a cocky Gonzalez would spend the upcoming weeks complaining that reporters who covered the story were little more than white racists looking to bring down a powerful Latino. He even started dropping his name as a potential successor to David Paterson as Senate Minority Leader.

Gonzalez’s tune changed quite a bit last week after the U.S. Attorney’s office indicted him on charges stemming from his use of money from a non-profit organization he controls, the West Bronx Neighborhood Association, as his own personal slush fund. Though he entered no plea in court, Gonzalez has stated his innocence to the press, vowing to fight the charges just like he fights for his constituents. In fact, one of his children has even alleged that the indictment is payback for the senator’s strong criticism of the Bush administration.

Or, it could be that he’s guilty. The indictment charges that Gonzalez used $37,000 in taxpayer funds from the non-profit for personal expenses such as Yankee tickets, rent, and membership to a vacation club in the Dominican Republic. And his stature as the vocal opposition in the face of out-of-control Republicanism is easily rebutted. Gonzalez repeatedly votes with the Republican majority on crucial bills, has endorsed both Rudy Giuliani and Michael Bloomberg for mayor and has such a low public profile that one Bronx newspaper openly mocked him on their editorial pages when they received his first ever press release after he had served in the State Senate for more than a decade. For United States Attorney Michael J. Garcia, the explanation is crystal clear: Gonzalez violated the
public trust.

"Misuse of not-for-profit funds by anyone--public servant or not--is a serious breach of trust. Those with authority over such funds have a special responsibility to use them only for their intended purposes," said Garcia.