Last week “our senator” Tom Libous was sentenced by a U.S. District Judge to six months of house arrest, two years probation, and a $50,000 fine for, among other things, lying to the FBI about the circumstances of his son’s employment at a downstate law firm. This was the you’ll-have-to-put-on-a-new-wing-to-handle-all-the-business-I-can-steer-your-way law firm for which his son no longer works. Actually, I’m not sure whether his son still works there. Kind of hard to work from prison.

Speaking of prison… that’s the only thing that disappoints me from the Libous verdict: no jail time. (Frowny face emoji.) Apparently among Libous’s other problems is that he does have cancer and the judge in the case took some leniency as a result. Still, though, pretty shameful way to walk away.

Libous had held his seat in the New York State Senate since 1989 before stepping down in July following his indictment. Amazingly everyone in my old hometown still loves the guy, though I see him now as the Barry Bonds of Binghamton. Fans are still fans. But those who have their heads on this side of the sand know the guy’s a cheater and therefore give him no respect. I knew 15 years ago and am glad others are starting to come around.

I’ve said it many times before and I’ll say it again in his obituary: Tom Libous was a blight on the Southern Tier for 30 years and did irreparable harm to the community he professed to care so much about. His fall from grace is no stain on his legacy: it is a perfect illustration of a career of malfeasance.