A published report says a member of the Assembly’s Democratic conference is calling on Speaker Sheldon Silver to resign over his role in a harassment scandal.
Assemblyman Michael Kearns (keerns) tells The Buffalo News he’ll quit the Democratic conference that rules the chamber because Silver mishandled harassment claims against Vito Lopez, a longtime assemblyman from Brooklyn.
Silver crafted a $103,000 secret settlement last year to end the first accusations against Lopez by female staff members. That settlement avoided the Assembly’s own policies for handling harassment cases through a committee.
A special prosecutor found Silver was more concerned with limiting political damage than disciplining Lopez.
Kearns, a West Seneca Democrat, won election on the Republican line and was a harsh Silver critic.
Silver’s office had no immediate comment.
(AP)