Lobbyist settles NY ethics probe tied to convicted state senator(Reuters) - A lobbyist whose firm made payments to a law firm employing the son of late New York state senator Thomas Libous, at a time it regularly lobbied the once-influential politician, agreed to pay $10,000 to settle ethics charges related to a corruption probe. The state’s Joint Commission on Public Ethics on Friday said Fred Hiffa arranged for payments totaling $50,000 over one year to the Westchester County law firm Santangelo, Randazzo & Mangone, which employed Libous’ son Matthew. Hiffa was accused of violating the gift ban provision of a New York lobbying law by causing his former Albany-based firm Ostroff, Hiffa & Associates Inc to make the payments starting in 2006, while he lobbied the senator on behalf of clients. Prosecutors have said the payments were meant to defray the cost of Matthew Libous’ salary and a lease of a Range Rover. Mark Glaser, a lawyer for Hiffa, declined to comment. Once the state senate’s second-highest ranking Republican and chairman of its transportation committee, Thomas Libous was found guilty by a federal jury in July 2015 of lying to Federal Bureau of Investigation agents investigating the law firm’s hiring of his son. The former senator, from Binghamton, was later sentenced to six months of home confinement, after he had been diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer. He died in May 2016 at age 63. Matthew Libous was separately convicted in January 2015 on tax charges, and sentenced to six months in prison. Hiffa’s former firm is now known as Ostroff Associates Inc. It had no immediate comment. politicsNews
lobbyist settles ny ethics probe tied convicted state senator reuters a lobbyist whose firm made payments law firm employing son late new york state senator thomas labour time regularly lobbied politician agreed pay settle ethics charges related corruption probe the state joint commission public ethics friday said fred diff arranged payments totaling one year westchester county law firm santangelo randazzo anyone employed labour son matthew diff accused violating gift ban provision new york lobbying law causing former firm ostroff diff associates inc make payments starting lobbied senator behalf clients prosecutors said payments meant defeat cost matthew labour salary lease range rover mark laser lawyer diff declined comment once state senate ranking republican chairman transportation committee thomas labour found guilty federal jury july lying federal bureau investigation agents investigating law firm hiring son the former senator binghamton later sentenced six months home confinement diagnosed terminal prostate cancer he died may age matthew labour separately convicted january tax charges sentenced six months prison diff former firm known ostroff associates inc it immediate comment politicsnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: Lobbyist settles NY ethics probe tied to convicted state senator(Reuters) - A lobbyist whose firm made payments to a law firm employing the son of late New York state senator Thomas Libous, at a time it regularly lobbied the once-influential politician, agreed to pay $10,000 to settle ethics charges related to a corruption probe. The state’s Joint Commission on Public Ethics on Friday said Fred Hiffa arranged for payments totaling $50,000 over one year to the Westchester County law firm Santangelo, Randazzo & Mangone, which employed Libous’ son Matthew. Hiffa was accused of violating the gift ban provision of a New York lobbying law by causing his former Albany-based firm Ostroff, Hiffa & Associates Inc to make the payments starting in 2006, while he lobbied the senator on behalf of clients. Prosecutors have said the payments were meant to defray the cost of Matthew Libous’ salary and a lease of a Range Rover. Mark Glaser, a lawyer for Hiffa, declined to comment. Once the state senate’s second-highest ranking Republican and chairman of its transportation committee, Thomas Libous was found guilty by a federal jury in July 2015 of lying to Federal Bureau of Investigation agents investigating the law firm’s hiring of his son. The former senator, from Binghamton, was later sentenced to six months of home confinement, after he had been diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer. He died in May 2016 at age 63. Matthew Libous was separately convicted in January 2015 on tax charges, and sentenced to six months in prison. Hiffa’s former firm is now known as Ostroff Associates Inc. It had no immediate comment. politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: lobbyist settles ny ethics probe tied convicted state senator reuters a lobbyist whose firm made payments law firm employing son late new york state senator thomas labour time regularly lobbied politician agreed pay settle ethics charges related corruption probe the state joint commission public ethics friday said fred diff arranged payments totaling one year westchester county law firm santangelo randazzo anyone employed labour son matthew diff accused violating gift ban provision new york lobbying law causing former firm ostroff diff associates inc make payments starting lobbied senator behalf clients prosecutors said payments meant defeat cost matthew labour salary lease range rover mark laser lawyer diff declined comment once state senate ranking republican chairman transportation committee thomas labour found guilty federal jury july lying federal bureau investigation agents investigating law firm hiring son the former senator binghamton later sentenced six months home confinement diagnosed terminal prostate cancer he died may age matthew labour separately convicted january tax charges sentenced six months prison diff former firm known ostroff associates inc it immediate comment politicsnews