Assembly Dems scramble

With Assembly Democrats scrambling to respond to last week’s stunning arrest of Speaker Sheldon Silver on corruption charges, the northwest Bronx’s Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz says to expect Mr. Silver out of his top seat after Monday, Feb. 2.

He recounted the decision by Assembly Democrats during a short break from marathon conference meetings on Tuesday night. Mr. Dinowitz added that the Assembly’s Democratic Majority Leader Joseph Morelle, of Rochester, will become acting speaker until a Tuesdy Feb. 10 vote takes place to elect the speaker for the rest of the term. 

Commentators widely viewed Mr. Silver’s arrest for allegedly taking millions of dollars in bribes as deflating Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s agenda and potentially undermining progressive goals for this year’s new legislative session.

Mr. Dinowitz hopes replacing Mr. Silver, the Manhattan power broker who long advocated for the city, can get the Assembly back on track.

“He has been, over the years, the single most important person in New York fighting for progressive policies… on a whole host of things, and no one can take that away from him,” Mr. Dinowitz said.

“The feeling in general is that unfortunately, the speaker won’t be in a position to achieve what we need to achieve given the distractions that he’s going to face,” he continued.

The assemblyman stuck by an initial statement he made upon Mr. Silver’s arrest saying Mr. Silver is entitled to the presumption of innocence and that, “We have heard the allegations, but have not yet heard the other side.”

Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. recently called for a New York City Assembly member to replace Mr. Silver. 

“I don’t think somebody who’s not from the city is disqualified, but clearly there are a lot of pluses in having somebody from the city” become speaker, Mr. Dinowitz said.