Jon Campbel pl ann lews Service A bronze bust of former Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno is on display at Albany International Airport. Bruno backers say honors to remain Jon Campbell Journal Albany Bureau ALBANY — On the third floor of Albany International Airport, a bronze bust of for- mer Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno sits majestical- ly on a pedestal in a glass-en- closed observation room, peering out at the runway as if greeting tourists and wel- coming residents home. The popular Rensselaer County Republican has been recognized time and time again for his contributions to the district he served as a sen- ator for more than 30 years. A park, theater and even a base- ball stadium are named for him, in addition to the bust at the airport. But the latest chapter in Bruno’s story is not as flatter- ing: He was convicted Mon- day on two counts of federal mail fraud, in which he re- ceived hundreds of thou- sands of dollars from Albany- area businessman Jared Ab- bruzzese, who had business before the state. He was ac- quitted on five other corrup- tion charges and the jury was deadlocked on an eighth. Despite the conviction, support for Bruno remained strong across the Albany area. Doug Myers, a spokesper- son for the Albany County Airport Authority, said there are “absolutely no plans” to remove the bust. “The Albany County Air- port Authority is greatly ap- preciative of the contributions that Senator Bruno has made to rebuild the Albany Interna- tional Airport,” Myers said in a statement. Amy Williams, president of The Arts Center of the Capital Region in Troy, Rensselaer County, which houses the 100-seat Joseph L. Bruno Theatre, expressed a similar sentiment. “This theater was named after him because it reflects the support and the impor- tance that the arts play in the economic development of downtown Troy, and I think Senator Bruno realized the impact that it could have,” she said. Robert Hill Il, chairman of . the Hudson Valley Communi- ty College Board of Trustees, said he would not be in favor of changing the name of Joseph L. Bruno Stadium, the 4,500-capacity Minor League Baseball stadium on the col- lege’s Troy campus. Town Clerk Sue Stradinger said she knew of no plans to change the name of the Joseph L. Bruno Community Park in the Town of Hoosick, Rensselaer County. Leaving Bruno’s name up is a “defensible position be- cause of the costs associated with removal,” said Susan Lerner, executive director of Common Cause NY, Lerner said she thinks Bruno’s name should be removed from the ” various buildings if he is found guilty in his expected appeal. Bruno, 80, is scheduled to be sentenced on March 31. He faces up to 20 years in rison and a fine of up to 250,000 for each of the two counts he was convicted on. Reach Jon Campbell at jcampbell.gannett@gmail.com.