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By Doug Cunningham

Brian McLaughlin, President of the New York City Central Labor Council and a former New York state Democratic assemblyman, was arrested Tuesday on federal racketeering charges. He’s accused of taking more than $2 million from labor unions and the state. Denis Hughes, president of the New York state AFL-CIO , says our justice system is based on presumption of innocence and everyone should keep in mind that Mclaughlin has not been convicted of a crime and will have the opportunity to defend himself against these allegations. McLaughlin has been under investigation for years. A 186 page indictment alleges that he used funds under his control to take money intended for union activities and instead spent the money for personal use from 1996 – 2006. The federal indictment also alleges that Mclaughlin misappropriated money from the state in part by creating fictitious jobs on his legislative staff and falsifying expense forms. McLaughlin is free on $250,000 bond.