Silver brushes aside GOP calls to resign

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver on Wednesday brushed aside Republican calls for him to resign his leadership post over his handling of sexual harassment allegations involving Assemb. Vito Lopez (D-Brooklyn).

"I think it's political rhetoric," Silver (D-Manhattan) told reporters at the Democratic delegation breakfast on day two of the party's national convention in Charlotte, N.C. "Republicans have looked for me to resign for a long time. About 19 years."

Silver's comments came as Albany District Attorney David Soares joined Staten Island District Attorney Daniel Donovan, Jr. to investigate the case, according to a source familiar with the situation. Last week, a state administrative judge appointed Donovan, a Republican, to investigate Lopez.

On Tuesday, state Republican party chairman Ed Cox said Silver was unfit to continue as speaker because he approved $103,080 in public money to settle two sexual harassment claims against Lopez (D-Brooklyn). Silver has apologized for how he handled the settlement.

Wednesday, Cox issued a statement calling Silver's role as head of the state delegation to the Democratic convention "an embarrassment to our state."

But Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) told reporters at the delegation breakfast in Charlotte that "the speaker is perfectly poised to be able to offer our votes [during the convention roll call] and he will do so proudly on behalf of our state."

On Tuesday, Gillibrand's Republican challenger, Wendy Long, had urged Gillibrand to call on Silver to resign the speaker's post "to assure a swift and complete investigation" of the Lopez matter.

Gillibrand said Silver, elected as Speaker in 1994, should not step down but that Lopez should resign if the allegations against him are true. Lopez refuses to resign and denies the harassment allegations. He has not been charged criminally.

Wednesday, several Long Island Assembly members on both sides of the aisle condemned Lopez and use of taxpayer money in the settlement. But they stopped short of calling for Silver to step down as speaker. "I've spoken to many of the members and we stand strongly behind speaker Silver," said Assemb. Charles Lavine (D-Glen Cove).

"We realize full well that the speaker has apologized and regrets the way this matter was processed."