LOPEZ FEELING THE PRESSURE
Resists Calls To Quit; Special Prosecutor Named
With more details regarding the sexual harassment scandal involving Assemblyman Vito Lopez coming forth-and calls for his resignation growing louder-a special prosecutor has been appointed to investigate the matter and determine if any crimes were committed.
Staten Island District Attorney Daniel Donovan was tapped by the state to handle the probe after Kings County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes requested last Friday, Aug. 31 the appointment of a special prosecutor and recused himself from the case.
Hynes stated that the original announcement by Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver on Aug. 24 censuring and stripping Lopez of his seniority status over allegations of sexual misconduct against two former female aides did not make clear whether any of the incidents occurred in Brooklyn.
As previously reported, the speaker took action based on the recommendations of the Assembly’s Committee on Ethics and Guidance, which investigated the cases and determined that Lopez-the ousted chair of theAssembly Housing Committee and outgoing leader of the Kings County Democratic Party-violated the legislative house’s sexual harassment policy.
“I made a request to the Standing Committee to determine if any of the
