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Former labor leader and Queens Assemblyman Brian McLaughlin pleaded guilty last week in Manhattan federal court to a single federal racketeering charge in exchange for an eight to 10-year prison term.

McLaughlin, 55, was indicted in October 2006 on 43 counts of racketeering and corruption under the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. He originally pleaded not guilty and is still free on $250,000 bail.

According to published reports, McLaughlin, once the president of the New York City Central Labor Council, spent an hour Friday recounting to U.S. District Judge Richard Sullivan how he stole or misappropriated a total of $2.2 million from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 3’s Street Light, or “J” Division, a local Little League and the State Assembly, among other sources.
According to the 186-page indictment and McLaughlin’s own statements, McLaughlin, the highest ranking official in the J Division, stole money from a J Division bank account, accepted payments from union contractors and used his position to advance the financial interests of a company doing business with union employers.

He also admitted to using more than $100,000 from that bank account to pay credit card bills and country club dues among other things. The account was maintained for the benefit of the J Division and its membership, and funded largely by deductions from members’ paychecks.

McLaughlin misappropriated approximately $185,000 from the CLC and used the money for personal expenses, including rental payments for an apartment in Queens, payments for one of his children’s cars, and mortgage payments for his home in Nissequogue, Long Island.

“For more than a year now, the Central Labor Council and its Executive Board have worked hard to strengthen our leadership structure and processes,” CLC spokeswoman Carolyn Daly said. “We have made the necessary changes to reinvigorate our institution, increase the transparency of our operations and better manage the inclusiveness of our affiliates in Council business. Union members throughout this city can be assured that the Central Labor Council acted quickly to ensure a strong and accountable labor movement.

“That being said, we wish the McLaughlin family well at this difficult time.”

McLaughlin also misappropriated more than $35,000 from the State by submitting false claims for reimbursement of his daily expenses and creating phony positions on his legislative staff in order to take home a share of the salary of one of the purported employees.

As part of the guilty plea, McLaughlin must forfeit the $2.2 million, as well as assets and the home in Nissequoge.
McLaughlin served seven terms as a Democratic assemblyman representing District 25, the seat now occupied by Rory Lancman (D-Fresh Meadows).

McLaughlin will be sentenced on Sept. 12.