Tom Doherty John Haggerty

Three former members of the Pataki administration created a legal defense fund for John Haggerty, the Queens political operative convicted of stealing nearly $1 million from Mayor Michael Bloomberg through an elaborate money-funneling operation through the Independence Party, Celeste Katz reported. Tom Doherty, one of the former government officials, who is not a political consultant, serves as the trustee for the legal defense fund.

John Haggerty Motions Ruling

Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Ronald Zweibel's decision on John Haggerty's motion to dismiss charges.

Decision on Haggerty motions

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Michael Bloomberg John Haggerty Transcripts

Flashback Rewind : Trial testimony provided by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg in the Mayor's shady 2009 campaign finance crimes trial involving GOP operative John Haggerty.

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Haggerty Lawyers Accuse Bloomberg of Suppressing Vote

Defense Lawyers for John F. Haggerty, Jr., attack Mayor Michael Bloomberg over Campaign Finance Scandal.

In shocking opening statements by John Haggerty's defense attorney, Raymond R. Castello, it was said that Mayor Michael Bloomberg hired Mr. Hatterty to conduct a voter suppression campaign, in order to ensure that Mayor Bloomberg would win a previously illegal third term in office.

Mr. Haggerty, a GOP operative, is accused of stealing over $1 million of secret campaign-related payments made by Mayor Bloomberg from one of his private banking accounts. By making the campaign-related payments from his private, personal monies, Mayor Bloomberg was able to funnel the payments to Mr. Haggerty via the Independence Party, thereby circumventing and violating the spirit of campaign finance disclosure requirements. For his part, Mr. Haggerty used a majority of the secret campaign-related payments to buy out his brother's interest in a house.

“The story here is not about theft,” Mr. Castello said. “There was none. This case is about winning at all costs. That’s what Michael Bloomberg is all about, and that certainly is what he was all about in 2009.”

Mayor Bloomberg -- this is all according to The New York Times' article about the opening day of Haggerty Trial -- is expected to testify against Mr. Haggerty.

Meanwhile, even though Mayor Bloomberg has accused Mr. Haggerty of saying anything to avoid prison, Mr. Haggerty has nonetheless found prominent political consultancy work after the accusations of the Bloomberg campaign finance scandal, including serving as an advisor to failed 2010 GOP gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino. Stay tuned.

Mr. Haggerty, right, escorts 2010 GOP gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino during the Columbus Day Parade in New York City on October 11, 2010. Photo by Anonymous.