<br><b>"At the end of the day, anybody could fall into a trap like I
did."</b><br>
— Former New York state senator Thomas W. Libous, after being
sentenced to a $50,000 fine and probation for lying about the fact
that he helped get his son a job with a local law firm and then
arranged for a $50,000 payment to the law firm by a lobbying firm
that represented clients with matters before him. It is rare for
indirect pay to play to be prosecuted. It happened only because the
senator lied about the facts. If he had told the truth, it is likely
that he would not have been prosecuted. His son is doing time for
tax fraud.<br>