This little piggy looked truly pissed.
Former state Sen. Shirley Huntley, the latest Albany hog to help herself to the taxpayer slop bucket, sucked angrily on a long, slim cigarette as she did the march of shame yesterday into Brooklyn federal court.
She came out a winner. A despicable winner. But a victor just the same.
In a sentencing that lasted more than an hour — which could wind up exceeding the total time Ms. Piggy spends behind bars — a slumped and peeved-looking Huntley and her lawyer begged, whined and pleaded.
Huntley walked into the courtroom an admitted swindler. A lady who stole nearly $88,000 from a state-funded charity she controlled that was set up to help poor children! It makes you sick.
Huntley, 74 and perky, blew the dough on, among other things, shopping excursions funded at the expense of kids she claimed to serve. Looking well turned-out yesterday in a print blouse and bouffant hairdo, it’s clear Huntley’s keeping up appearances to this day.
But defense lawyer Sally Butler turned Huntley from a sinner into a saint. She argued that the court should take it easy on the lady because she fought corruption by turning into a rat and wearing a wire.
In other words, Huntley, while under investigation for her piggishness, ratted out her buddies to get a break. Well, it worked.
The lawyer also said — surprise! — that Huntley’s family feared retribution from the thugs, miscreants and politicians, local and state, whose conversations Huntley recorded.
Most pathetically, Butler argued that Huntley should get no time in jail because her daughter, stressed out from the idea of Mom’s thievery and duplicity, suffered a stroke. No, there is no shame.
In a small, pathetic voice, Huntley begged the judge for mercy. “I take full responsibility for my mistakes,’’ she said. Mistakes?
A mistake is pairing stripes with plaid. Putting lemon and milk into the same cup of tea. Not stealing from people who trusted you.
“I apologize,’’ she said. “Grant me another chance. I vow to spend my remaining years to redeem myself in the eyes of those I have embarrassed.”
Husband Herbert, 75, said, “I love my daughter. We’re still praying for her.’’ Then he remembered why he was in the courtroom. “I love my wife as well. We’re praying for her.’’
It took righteous Judge Jack Weinstein to remind us that Huntley was not the victim here.
“This is a special case of a member of the Legislature who has pleaded guilty to stealing funds allocated for a special purpose of aiding the children of the City of New York.’’
But Weinstein gave Huntley an undeserved break. Although some of Huntley’s information she provided on her colleagues was complete garbage, or just plain lies, the judge went easy on her for the stuff she got right.
He dumped guidelines that said Huntley should get a minimum sentence of 18 months in jail and hit her with a year and a day. After a month, Huntley can petition the court to let her out sooner.
Well, I guess every day off the streets, forbidden from shopping, is worth something. She also has to pay back the $87,000.
As if to remind us that Huntley is a criminal, not a martyr, the judge said she should get her affairs in order and turn herself in 10 days before her sentence is set to begin.
“Otherwise, she’d have to be brought in in chains immediately and carried around,’’ he said.
This little piggy then stormed out of the courthouse, her clothes immaculate and hair unmoving.
I hope it was worth it.