Reaction to election of Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie

ALBANY – Majority Assembly Democrats Tuesday elected Bronx Assemblyman Carl Heastie as the new speaker replacing Sheldon Silver who stepped down after facing federal charges.
Democrat Assemblyman Kevin Cahill of Kingston said he expects both sides of the aisle along with Heastie “to restore the public faith in the leadership of our state government.”
Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther, a Forestburg Democrat, said Heastie met with lawmakers from other areas of the state.
“He assured us that he is willing to make sure upstate is just as important as downstate and New York City, that he knows it is a very large state and each one of his members is just as important as the other, and he wants open conversation and he wants input and he wants to listen, and he wants to bring about change,” Gunther said.
Assemblyman Frank Skartados of Milton, a Democrat, said selecting the first African-American speaker is “truly a historic moment.”
Heastie outlined the need for reform, transparency and ethical conduct in state government.
“I am ready to join Speaker Heastie in taking on the challenge of cleaning up corruption in Albany and bringing about real ethics reform in state government,” Skartados said.
Republican Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb said with the election of the new speaker, the first order of business is “restoring the public’s trust in government and implementing ethics reforms that Assembly Republicans have called for since 2013.”
Assemblyman Karl Brabenec of Deerpark, a Republican, said Heastie emphasized his top priority, ethics reform.
“He spoke of a new era in Albany in which the Assembly’s dealings will be zero tolerance for sexual harassment; in which outside income will be regulated; in which the Assembly dealings will be bipartisan and transparent, and all its members will come together to restore honor to this institution,” Brabenec said.