ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) – Reformers in the New York Assembly want to rewrite the rules to limit background dealing and to disperse power after helping force one of the state’s most influential politicians to relinquish authority.
In two days of closed-door talks, the Assembly’s majority Democrats reached consensus on two major changes: Democratic Speaker Sheldon Silver will vacate his post by Monday, and they’ll take two weeks to choose his successor.
That’s intended to give candidates time to make their intentions clear and colleagues time to evaluate them openly.
Silver was accused last week by federal prosecutors of influencing legislation and awarding grants to collect almost $4 million in kickbacks over a decade. He led the chamber for 21 years and exercised strong central control.
He declined to immediately resign, predicting he’ll be exonerated.