Contact:  Jessica Proud, 914-438-5325     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

The HD Video Below May be Downloaded for Television Use

 

 

Astorino to Cuomo: Take a Stand on Silver
Astorino to Cuomo: Take a Stand on Silver

 

Script:

 

Chalk one up for the good guys in New York.  


Yesterday, federal judge Analise Torres ruled that Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver can be held liable for covering up sex crimes in the state legislature, and doing so using hundreds of thousands of tax dollars over a period of 19 years.


Sheldon Silver created a culture "in which [an Assembly member] believed he could sexually harass the women on his staff with impunity," Justice Torres said.


She called Silver's failure to protect women from Silver's political buddies "actionable" and said that "plaintiffs have a plausible claim that Silver participated in and caused the deprivation of their rights. "


"Silver could not have believed that his actions were reasonable under state or city law," Judge Torres said.


Those of us who truly want ethics reforms in New York State couldn't agree more.  We applaud Judge Torres for her firm ruling.


Yet Governor Cuomo continues to stand behind Sheldon Silver even after this ruling, even after the New York Times and other newspapers around the state called on Silver to step down as Speaker.


Governor Cuomo keeps giving the same, pat, copout answer that he doesn't vote for who the Assembly Speaker should be.


That's not good enough any more, Mr. Cuomo.  It's not good enough in light of this ruling and it's not good enough for the victims of sex crimes in Albany.


It's time that you took a real stand for ethics in this state.  It's time you took a stand on Shelly Silver.

 

 

###