The Chips Start to Fall in the State Assembly

Assemblyman Luis Sepúlveda Calls on

Speaker Sheldon Silver to Step Down

“I understand that this is an incredibly difficult period for the Speaker Silver and his family, and my thoughts and prayers are with the Silver family.  We should be grateful to Speaker Silver for his service as Speaker since 1994.  He has accomplished many great things, including securing Universal Pre-K for the state, ending the Rockefeller drug laws, the passing of the SAFE Act, the passing of the DREAM Act, and so much more. 

With a strong belief in the presumption of innocence I believe that Speaker Silver deserves his day in front of a jury before we pass judgment on his alleged actions.  However, as this body moves into budget negotiations, one of the most important parts of the year, the criminal complaint filed against the Speaker has clearly become a distraction and has taken the spotlight away from so many of the important issues we should be debating.  Issues like education, criminal justice reform, and infrastructure, among others, have now taken a back seat due to the Speaker's unfortunate situation. 

The focus of this body right now must be budget negotiations, an area where the Speaker is an instrumental component.  In light of these recent issues his position as a negotiator has been greatly compromised.  The Governor’s proposed budget will have an impact on every New Yorker, and our job as legislators is to ensure that our communities are represented in this budget.  Our constituents are our first and most important duty.

There comes a time when an institution must come before any individual, and it is for these reasons that I believe that Speaker Silver should step down as Speaker and allow for this body to get to work on these issues without being distracted.  Already since the Speaker’s arrest the Assembly was forced to cancel Session on a day that we should have been honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  It is likely that distractions like this will continue throughout the legislative session period if Speaker Silver remains in his leadership position.

It is my hope that my colleagues and I can elect a new Speaker and continue to work together through this difficult time so that we can do what we were elected to do.  Again, my prayers go out to the Speaker and his Family.”

Assemblyman Luis Sepúlveda.