Folks were puzzled Thursday when state and federal officials raided the offices of a housing charity run by an upright upstate priest just outside Albany.
But it took just 24 hours for the real story to come out. No surprise, it involves New York’s First Family of Flimflam — and a boatload of public money.
William Boyland Sr. spent two decades in the Assembly before bequeathing his seat to his son, William Jr., in 2003.
Over the years, the Brooklyn duo sent $1.2 million in member items (taxpayer-funded pork) to Albany’s Altamont Program.
Wouldn’t you know it, when Senior left office he got himself a job as a “housing coordinator” at one of Altamont’s Brooklyn shelters — even as the taxpayer money kept pouring in, an upstate newspaper reports.
“Many employees questioned . . . what Boyland did and whether he was provided a credit card,” according to the paper.
A no-show job?
Sure sounds like it.
And sure seems to run in the family.
Prosecutors say Junior took a no-show consulting job as a $175,000 bribe from a Brooklyn hospital — and he even sought per-diem reimbursement checks for “working” overnight in Albany on days when the FBI taped him taking money in Brooklyn.
Acquitted on those charges, he was arrested for a second time just three weeks later for allegedly taking bribes to pay lawyers from his first trial.
His sister, former City Councilwoman Tracy Boyland, is also employed by Altamont as an “outreach coordinator,” though her exact job description is unknown.
She wouldn’t be a newcomer to “no-show” work, anyway: She barely showed her head in two terms on the City Council.
Two generations, three public officials — and more scams than you can count.
William Boyland Jr.’s next trial begins in July, but we hope that investigators find what they’re looking for in Altamont’s paperwork — and that the Boyland banditos ride off for good.