FBI & IRS Raid NY State Senate Majority Leader

Hello, corruption:

Federal authorities raided a government-funded clinic run by the state Senate's majority leader, one day after New York's attorney general accused him of siphoning money from it.

About a dozen FBI and IRS agents appeared Wednesday at the Soundview Healthcare Network in the Bronx, where a big canopy above the front door lists Sen. Pedro Espada Jr. as its president and CEO.

The agents removed Espada campaign posters and other items from an 8-foot-tall, 25-foot-long storage container behind the building. They also stacked boxes on the grass, and agents wearing blue or green gloves leafed through the contents and wrote notes.

Espada spokesman Steve Mangione didn't immediately respond to requests for comment left on his cell phone and through e-mail.

FBI spokesman Jim Margolin said only that the search was part of an ongoing investigation.

On Tuesday, Attorney General Andrew Cuomo announced a lawsuit accusing Espada of siphoning $14 million from the clinic. It said the money was used for lavish restaurant meals, trips to Las Vegas and Espada's campaign.

After hours of searching, investigators were still unable to recover Espada's party affiliation.