PROBED POL STRIKES BACK BY SECRETLY TAPING BRONX BIGS

by: Robert Hardt Jr.

A former Bronx state senator charged with steering Medicaid money to his campaign coffers says he has secretly taped "many" conversations with borough powerbrokers.

Claiming he's the target of a political plot, Pedro Espada Jr. said he began making the video and audiotapes two years ago - for his own protection - when he learned Bronx District Attorney Robert Johnson was investigating him.

"My lawyer told me that it would be a good idea to put together a record of what was going on," Espada said.

"This is not Linda Tripp that we're talking about here."

Espada gave The Post a videotape of a 24-minute conversation between state Sen. Larry Seabrook and Sandra Love, a top Espada aide.

Seabrook, who has warred with Bronx Democratic leaders, promises Love on the tape that he will "find out what the deal is" regarding Johnson's investigation and agrees the probe could be politically motivated.

"You got to smoke them out," Seabrook tells Love, adding that the DA is in a "very tenuous position."

Seabrook said Bronx Democratic boss Roberto Ramirez and Borough President Fernando Ferrer were worried Espada would reclaim his Senate seat from the incumbent, David Rosado.

"They can't afford to have an Espada on the ballot," Seabrook says in the conversation taped in March at the Soundview Health Center, an HMO founded by Espada.

Espada had earlier released a videotape of another conversation between Rosado and Espada's son, city Councilman Pedro G. Espada.

In that conversation, Rosado warns Espada that "if you run, there will be a case, regardless ... even if it's to tie you up."

Espada said that he has "lots of tapes" of conversations between himself and Bronx businessmen and politicians regarding Johnson's investigation.

Last month, Espada declared that he had settled his longstanding differences with Ramirez and was retiring from politics.

But just two weeks later, Espada said he changed his mind because Ramirez had gone back on his secret promise to quash Johnson's investigation.

Seabrook could not be reached for comment.

 
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