N.Y. state senator, Putnam exec pleads guilty to accepting charity kickback

Disappointing conduct by public officials is a part of life. Placing anyone on a pedestal is an unwise practice, generally speaking. The work of charities in this world is invaluable.

Whether it is feeding people in the U.S. or around the world, caring for those who are ill, or providing housing for those in need, among other functions, charities are vital to providing hope for scores of people in this country.

But, not all charities, or their founders, have charity on their minds. According to the New York Post, N.Y. state Senator Vincent Leibell, who represented Putnam County in Albany as well as serving as the Putnam County executive, pleaded guilty yesterday to taking kickbacks from the charity he founded, and which received millions of dollars of funding from the state.

The New York Theological Seminary is an institution dedicated to multiculturalism, diversity, social justice and religious tolerance. The mission of the seminary is to prepare men and women, from every background, for careers in ministry.