Silver (file) – a dozen years in
a federal slammer
ALBANY – Only one of the Democratic Assembly members from the Mid-Hudson
commented Tuesday on former Speaker Sheldon Silver’s federal prison
sentence of 12 years.
Silver, 72, a Manhattan Democrat, who also has a home in Sullivan County,
ruled the Assembly with an iron fist from 1994 through 2015 when he was
indicted and later stepped down.
His sentence follows a conviction of receiving millions in illegal kickbacks.
Democrat Assemblyman James Skoufis (D-Woodbury) commented saying, “Justice
has been served. The culmination of a court case that clearly demonstrates
the public’s and judiciary’s zero tolerance for corruption.” He said
it is time for the state legislature to adopt “a similar policy by
finally taking steps to adopt real, tangible ethics reform.”
Republican Assemblyman Karl Brabenec of Deerpark commented, saying Silver got his due.
“Albany is still in need of major reform,” Brabenec said. “We need to focus more on ethics reform here and the sad part about it here is that Mr. Silver will still receive his pension that should have been forfeited when he was convicted of a felony. We need these rule changes here immediately. Without them the culture of corruption is going to continue here.”
Senator Susan Serino, a Republican from Hyde Park, said “real ethics
reform” is needed, starting with term limits and a forfeiture of
public pensions by those found guilty of a felony.
Governor Cuomo, a Democrat like Silver, said the sentence “sent a simple message that officials who abuse the public’s trust will be held accountable. Justice has been served.”
