Fort Greene/Clinton Hill/Prospect Heights Assemblyman Walter Mosley today called on embattled Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver to step down.
Silver, who’s been speaker of the assembly for the past 21 years, was charged this week with taking $4 million in kickbacks and bribes in return for his influence in government business. Several media outlets reported yesterday that Silver cut a deal with five assembly colleagues that they would run the assembly and budget negotiations so he could focus on the criminal charges, but Mosley and other are rejecting this proposal.
“Assemblyman Silver’s temporary solution of appointing a committee of five to serve as interim Speaker lacks transparency and can quickly lead to crippling confusion and delays in the legislative process. Likewise, any “deal” that does not have the full and complete participation of the conference cannot be accepted,” said Mosley in his statement saying Silver should resign his speaker position.
“The rules that govern the conference and the general body must be reformed to ensure that we are united and focused on the issues that are of concern to my constituents in Brooklyn and to the constituents of my colleagues in the legislature.
“The conference needs a strong leader from New York City in lieu of the composition of the conference and its downstate member numerical majority in the Assembly – and who has an ability to be autonomous and free from any backroom agreements.
“We must uphold our duty to transparency and look at this moment as an opportunity for real reform in the legislature.
“Ultimately, as elected officials our sole responsibility is to our constituents in an effort to pass meaningful legislation and an on-time fiscally responsible budget for the very people we represent.”
