The New York Daily News reports today that State Judge Bart Stone granted a conditional discharge to David Loglisci — Hevesi’s Former Chief Investment Officer at the NY State Comptroller’s Office — a key figure in the Comptroller’s Office Scandal prosecuted by Governor Cuomo when he was New York’s Attorney General.

At first glance, it’s truly a sweetheart deal for Loglisci.  He pleaded to felony corruption charges, but was permitted to change that plea to a misdemeanor charge.  And the “conditional discharge” means that the charges will be completely dismissed if Loglisci stays out of trouble for a specific period of time.

Judge Stone’s leniency appears to be based on two factors:  (1) Loglisci didn’t personally benefit from the scheme (although Steve Ratner (aka Obama’s Car Czar) did underwrite Loglisci’s brother’s film “Chooch” in order to get State business for Quadrangle); and (2) Loglisci fully cooperated with the prosecution, which eventually netted both Hevesi and Morris.

Of course, it’s likely that Loglisci’s career in finance/public service is probably finished.  Still, this isn’t even a slap on the wrist.  It’s one thing to reward cooperators in investigations, but this reward doesn’t discourage anyone from engaging in the type of massive corruption we witnessed in the Comptroller’s Office under Hevesi and Morris.  Rather, it merely encourages staffers involved to roll on their bosses as quickly as possible.