Albany watch: Hearing set on John F. Haggerty Jr. appeal

The state's highest court will hear an appeal tomorrow by John F. Haggerty Jr., a Republican political operative who was convicted of bilking hundreds of thousands of dollars from ex-New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's 2009 re-election campaign.

Bloomberg gave $1.2 million to the Independence Party, with the understanding that the minor party would use $1.1 million for field operations. A jury convicted Haggerty of pocketing $750,000 of the money. He claims before the Court of Appeals that lower courts violated rules about testimony and evidence.

The Independence Party wasn't charged in the case -- in fact, a party leader testified against Haggerty.

-- Yancey Roy