Longtime New York state Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D) announced his resignation from his leadership post Friday as other top Democrats jockeyed for the job in the wake of Silver’s arrest on federal corruption charges.
Silver filed a letter with the Assembly clerk making his resignation effective Tuesday, his spokesman Michael Whyland told the Associated Press. He has held the speaker’s post since 1994.
Democratic lawmakers said earlier this week that they planned to install an interim replacement for Silver on Monday. An election to fill the speaker’s post was planned for Feb. 10.
Still, Silver intends to keep his seat in the legislature as he battles a five-count criminal complaint alleging that he abused his power to to obtain $4 million in kickbacks and bribes disguised as income.