New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) said on Thursday that New York’s powerful and longtime Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D) was “a man of integrity” despite having just been arrested and charged with corruption.
Silver surrendered to federal authorities earlier in the day after being charged with allegedly taking millions of dollars in bribes. However, de Blasio stood by the speaker during a news conference at City Hall.
“Although the charges announced today are certainly very serious, I want to note that I’ve always known Shelly Silver to be a man of integrity, and he certainly has due process rights,” de Blasio said. “And I think it’s important that we let the judicial process play out here.”
De Blasio noted that “allegations are allegations” and said he didn’t believe Silver should step down at this point.
h/t Gothamist
Way to go DeBlasio. Seriously, we need some Dems who won’t tolerate politics as usual. Standing up for one of your guys who’s on the take isn’t the way to go. Supporting the gutting of Social Security isn’t the way to go, apologizing for passing a health care bill isn’t the way to go, sending more jobs overseas isn’t the way to go, waffling on minimum wage, ditto, watering down bank regulations, double ditto. Stand against corruption, stand up for the environment, stand up for the average wage earner or retiree, and folks will notice. You might even win a mid-term election!
Note to DeBlasio: That horse ain’t one to hitch your wagon to.
“Shelly”??? F**k you Bill.
I’m pretty forgiving when a mayor has some empty nice words for a statewide politician of such power.
DeBlasio’s #1 job is to look our for the resident of NYC, and having a good relationship with the state legislature is necessary for that.
Everything else you’re talking about is about policy, and really has nothing to do with being a mayor. Municipal politics aren’t just an extension of some big-picture ideological agenda.
How do you know he’s guilty