Editor, The Spotlight:
In the solar system of corruption that is New York state politics, Sheldon Silver is the sun. For the latest installment of how Silver is abusing the taxpayers, read on…
There’s an old saying, “you’re either with us, or against us.” Not only has Sheldon Silver consistently proven that he’s against us, but we’ve reached a point where Governor Cuomo and the Assembly Democrats have demonstrated how they’re against us by refusing to call on Silver to resign.
Sheldon Silver continues to abuse taxpayers in much the same way that his perverted friend Vito Lopez abused young legislative staffers. Over the past three years, Silver has fleeced taxpayers of over $20,000 in air travel expenses while he racks up frequent flyer miles for personal use by flying rather than driving the 150-miles from Albany to New York City. Since 1996, Silver has cost the taxpayers a grand total of $197,399 in travel expenses.
As has now been discovered, not only is Silver flying rather than driving, his taxpayer funded car and driver are making the trip back and forth without him. Silver flies while his driver drives, and the public pays for both. The taxpayers are left footing the bill for both his airfare as well as his taxpayer funded vehicle and driver. The arrogance and abuse is astounding and must end immediately.
Silver has proven yet again that his arrogance knows no bounds. How much is enough? It’s time to recognize that Governor Cuomo and the Assembly Democrats are complicit in this taxpayer fleecing. If you’re not condemning it, you’re condoning it. By not condemning Silver’s abuse of the state taxpayer, Cuomo and the Assembly Democrats implicitly condone his behavior.
Enough is enough. It’s long past time for Silver to resign.
Steven F. McLaughlin
Member of New York State Assembly, 107th District