The charges in the federal criminal complaint against Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver are just shocking. There is “probable cause,” the complaint says, to believe that through bribes, kickbacks, fraud, extortion, and conspiracy, Silver “used the power and influence of his official position to obtain for himself millions of dollars masked as legitimate income earned by […]
New York State Assembly
Posted inNews & Opinion
[UPDATED] Assembly Speaker Silver arrested, faces corruption charges
Federal officials allege that Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver collected bribes and kickbacks and disguised them as income from his legal work.
Posted inNews & Opinion
Primaries unlikely to ease tensions for Democrats
The 29th Legislative District in Northeast Rochester may be the epicenter of this year’s primary elections. The district has more Democratic primaries than any other part of Monroe County. Primary elections will be held on Tuesday, September 9. There’s a three-way City Court contest between William Gargan, Michael Lopez, and Leticia Astacio in the 29th. […]
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Two former lawmen fight for Reilich’s old Assembly seat
The competition for Bill Reilich’s old Assembly seat is heating up. Yesterday, the county Republican Party announced Peter Lawrence’s candidacy for the 134th district. Lawrence spent 29 years working for the New York State Police before retiring in 2002, when he was appointed as US Marshal for the Western District of New York, says a […]
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Vazquez to try again for Assembly seat
This afternoon, Republican Peterson Vazquez will announce that he’s running for the State Assembly’s 138th District seat, which includes parts of the City of Rochester, Henrietta, and Chili. The seat is currently held by Assembly member Harry Bronson, who hasn’t officially announced that he’s seeking re-election, but presumably will run. Vazquez also challenged Bronson in […]
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[UPDATED] Assembly Democrats want increase in child day care funding
For years, Monroe County’s child day care subsidy funding has been a concern of local child advocates. And during the 2014 county budget debates, a proposed $1.3 million cut in the county’s contribution to the programs became a major issue. Child advocates and Democratic legislators pushed for the funding to be restored. But administration officials, along […]
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Legislators’ environmental records ranked
Each year, Environmental Advocates of New York scores state legislators on their environmental voting records and yesterday, the group released this year’s rankings. The marks are based on legislators’ votes on a selection of environmental bills, including fracking moratorium measures, brownfield tax credit reform bills, climate change legislation, and a measure to corral wild boars. […]
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Week Ahead: Food trucks in Henrietta, Latino outreach event, domestic violence in Monroe County
The Town of Henrietta will have a public hearing on its proposed food truck and cart regulations at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, October 2, at Town Hall, 475 Calkins Road. The regulations would allow food trucks and carts to operate in the town. They lay out the licensing and location criteria that any “mobile food […]
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Cuomo bats leadership ball back to legislators
The New York Post published an article this morning speculating that Governor Andrew Cuomo and his staff want to push Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver out of his leadership post. It also says that Assembly Majority Leader Joe Morelle could be installed in Silver’s place. According to the Post, Cuomo planned to use last week’s arrests […]
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[UPDATE] Assembly Republicans bash Cuomo, gun proposals
Some tough words from Assembly Republicans on Governor Andrew Cuomo’s proposed package of gun legislation. The legislation is being debated in the Assembly right now. The State Senate passed it last night.
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Vito Lopez, Shelly Silver, and the harassment of women
I feel like I’m reading the same story over and over, just with different perps, different victims, and different kinds of abuse: Jerry Sandusky, Catholic priests, and now Vito Lopez, the New York Assembly member accused of sexually harassing women staff members. And once again, the reaction from higher-ups is to protect the accused. Aren’t […]
