Without directly acknowledging the very disgusting sexual harassment allegations multiple staffers have made against him (including begging, thigh-rubbing, and giving a woman pink eye), Assemblyman Vito Lopez announced today that he will resign, sort of. “I have made no secret that I intend to run for New York City Council in November, which requires me to resign my current term. Nevertheless, because the citizens of my district voted me back into office last November by an overwhelming majority, I feel obligated to serve out this session of the Assembly,” he said in a statement. “I therefore announce that as of June 20, 2013, the last day of the session, I resign my position.”
“Assembly member Lopez should no longer be in public office,” countered a spokesperson for the speaker, Sheldon Silver, who is attempting to get Lopez thrown out. “We will move forward with our resolution on Monday.” Governor Andrew Cuomo concurred: “Vito Lopez should not spend another day in office, let alone a whole month.”
Lopez, flouting his willful lingering, began his announcement, “I am gratified that Staten Island District Attorney Dan Donovan has concluded, after an exhaustive investigation, that there is no basis for bringing criminal charges against me. I have maintained my innocence throughout this matter and I believe no criminal investigation should ever have been conducted.”
But by vowing to run for City Council, he’s giving the voters one more chance to get this one right.
