Silence from Downtown Leaders on Corruption Charges Against Silver
Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, who has represented a large swath of Lower Manhattan since 1976, was charged with corruption in a five-count federal complaint. Photo: Carl Glassman/Tribeca Trib
Downtown community leaders are being cautious, if not publicly silent, in their responses to Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver's arrest Thursday on federal corruption charges of pocketing $4 million in bribes and kickbacks over the past 12 years.
Silver, who has represented a large swath of Lower Manhattan in the Assembly for nearly 40 years, has been a powerful advocate for his constituents since becoming speaker in 1994.
In response to the Trib's request for reactions on Thursday to the indictment, spokesmen for Councilwoman Margaret Chin and Assemblywoman Deborah Glick offered a "no comment." Calls and emails to the offices of state Sen. Daniel Squadron and to Jessica Lappin, president of the Downtown Alliance, were not returned.
UPDATE: On Jan. 23, Chin issued a statement in response to the charges. See below.
Catherine McVay Hughes, chair of Community Board 1, said she did not want to comment. "We have to see how things evolve," she said.
Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer told the Trib, "I happen to like the speaker personally and I hope that he remains the speaker because he's been really good to New York City and really good to Manhattan."
"The charges are serious," Brewer added, "but there hasn't been a conviction yet."
Jenifer Rajkumar, the Democratic district leader representing Battery Park City, part of Silver's district, called it "a sad day for New York if the allegations are true."
"It means that we're going to go through some major changes," Rajkumar said. "What they are, I think, remains to be seen."
For Paul Hovitz, co-chair of CB1's Youth and Education Committee, Silver's downfall would be a "body blow" to Lower Manhattan's efforts to build more schools in Lower Manhattan. He cited the successes of Silver and his School Overcrowding Task Force to help create new Downtown schools.
"If this should play out and, God forbid, Shelly is no longer able to work on behalf of our community as he has been," Hovitz said, "then it will be a significant step backwards for our school efforts."
According to the indictment, Silver received millions of dollars from two law firms that he did no legal work for, in exchange for using his influence to steer business to those firms.
"Over his decades in office Speaker Silver has amassed Titanic political power," U.S Attorney Preet Bharara said at a press briefing, “but as alleged during that same time Silver also amassed a tremendous personal fortune through the abuse of that political power."
Silver's attorneys, Joel Cohen and Steven Molo, issued a statement on the speaker’s behalf.
"We are disappointed that the prosecutors have chosen to proceed with these meritless criminal charges. That said, Mr. Silver looks forward to responding to them—in court—and ultimately his full exoneration."
Statement by Councilwoman Margaret Chin:
“The charges against Speaker Silver are deeply serious and deeply concerning. The Speaker has been a strong advocate for the Lower Manhattan community, and he has especially been a champion for local schools and affordable housing. I am personally very troubled by these allegations against the Speaker, but I will refrain from passing judgment on his current legal situation until the judicial process is complete. This must not deter or distract our community from continuing to fight for the renewal of strong rent regulation in Albany and the construction of new public schools in Lower Manhattan.”