@NYSA_Majority Members would be heroes today had they acted 16 months ago. I was proved wrong in my belief that cover-up of sex abuse would lead to Speaker Sheldon Silver’s ouster. It seems that arrest on corruption charges trumps countenancing and covering up sexual misconduct and abuse. An excerpt from that September 26, 2013 column seems prescient today:
"The Democratic Conference is not without capable, seasoned veteran legislators who could step into the breach should Silver’s speakership be further imperiled by another dropped shoe.
I’d imagine New York City members want to retain control of the speakership—and given that dynamic, the large Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Caucus would have a significant say in that selection. After years of being loyal backbenchers, I see no reason why the caucus’ members would not tap one of their own as a contender.
Old paradigms have been displaced. For 31 months the state had a black chief executive. Two of the state’s biggest upstate cities will have black mayors in 2014. Miss New York, Nina Davuluri, an Indian-American, was recently crowned Miss America. There’s no reason to believe that the speakership should be exempt from the march of demographic change.
Silver, the Assembly lion who protected his pride from a succession of hostile governors intent on declawing the Legislature, is now in the crosshairs of the media, prosecutors and ambitious members. When he finally emerges from his den, he may face a line of spears.
The inevitable outcome may involve Silver voluntarily stepping aside in order to protect his beloved “People’s House” from the wrecking ball of ruinous investigations."
Full article here => Shelly’s Last Legs – CityandStateNY.com
