Vito Lopez and his Hour-of-Power

New York Daily News
by Kenneth Lovett
April 17, 2013

Some of the politicians have spent more than $1 million, a Daily News/New York Public Interest Research Group analysis shows. Big spenders include former Gov. David Paterson, convicted former Controller Alan Hevesi, former Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, former state Sen. Carl Kruger and Assemblyman Vito Lopez.

The explosion of Capitol corruption scandals in recent years has turned a bunch of campaign accounts into legal defense funds.

Twenty elected officials since 2004 spent a combined $6.78 million on legal fees related to criminal and ethical investigations against them, a Daily News/New York Public Interest Research Group analysis shows.

The list has included some of the most powerful elected officials in Albany, including former Gov. David Paterson, convicted former Controller Alan Hevesi, former Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and pervy Assemblyman Vito Lopez.

New York Post
by David Seifman
April 14, 2013

The political organization he once commanded is about to turn on disgraced Assemblyman Vito Lopez, The Post has learned.

Sources said the Brooklyn Democratic Party is close to endorsing Antonio Reynoso for the City Council seat that Lopez has been coveting for months, ever since he was accused of sexually harassing female staffers, and most of his powers in the Assembly were removed.

“There’s a good chance the party is going to go with Reynoso,” said one insider. “They’re definitely not supporting Vito.” “It’s definitely a slap in the face,” declared another source.

Put this on your social calendar. April 18, show up and cough up $2,750 for Vito's Viagra. Click for full-size version.

While you're at it, keep an eye on vitolopezforcitycouncil.com. It's got a private registration, so we can't see if this is for real or not.

New York Daily News
Christiana Fisher, Lopez’s former campaign treasurer, pleaded guilty to doctoring documents that justified her $446,000 pay hike as the executive director of the Ridgewood-Bushwick Senior Citizens Council, which was founded by Lopez.
by Rich Schapiro and Bill Hutchinson
April 10, 2013

An ex-crony of scandal-scared Assemblyman Vito Lopez was slapped with a year of probation Tuesday after apologizing for lying to the FBI and fudging records justifying a $446,000 pay hike. Christiana Fisher, Lopez’s former campaign treasurer, begged a federal judge for mercy, saying, “I made mistakes and they cost me dearly.”

Fisher pleaded guilty in November to federal criminal contempt. The charge stemmed from the shady salary boost she pulled as executive director of the Ridgewood-Bushwick Senior Citizens Council ­ an organization founded by Democrat Lopez.

She told Manhattan Federal Court Judge James Francis she had dedicated her “heart and soul” to the nonprofit she cheated. She had faced six months in jail.

Francis noted this was Fisher’s first offense and that her record of good deeds merited consideration. Besides a year of probation, Fisher was fined $2,500 and ordered to forfeit $170,659.

In response to a 2010 grand jury subpoena, Fisher turned over doctored documents and lied to the FBI about her salary. An investigation found she upped her pay without the approval of her board of directors from $346,000 in 2008 to $782,000 in 2009. Federal prosecutor Carrie Cohen said the fraud was “somewhat sophisticated.”

New York Daily News
Lopez is moving ahead with City Council campaign, registering to run with the city Campaign Finance Board. He is under investigation for sexually harassing several female staffers.
by Erin Durkin
April 9, 2013

Pervy pol Vito Lopez is moving full steam ahead with his City Council campaign, registering to run with the city Campaign Finance Board. Lopez registered as a candidate for a seat representing Bushwick, Brooklyn, on Friday, according to documents the board released Monday.

Lopez is under investigation for sexually harassing at least four staffers.

He’d face Antonio Reynoso, chief of staff to Councilwoman Diana Reyna, who currently holds the seat. His move set off a campaign by a Brooklyn political reform group to keep the Council a “molester-free zone.”

The Politicker
by Ross Barkan
April 4, 2013

The New Kings Democrats went there, and fast.

Only a couple hours after news broke that Assemblyman Vito Lopez, who is battling sexual harassment allegations, registered a campaign account for a City Council run, the Democratic club launched a “molester free zone” campaign, complete with a fairly direct flier, illustrating exactly how negative the marquee race will get should Mr. Lopez officially enter it.

“Voters could not have a more striking contrast between two candidates in the 34th city council district,” Alex Low, the president of NKD, said in a statement that named Antonio Reynoso as the club’s candidate in the race. “Antonio Reynoso, endorsed today by the National Organization for Women, is a champion of women’s rights. On the other hand, Vito Lopez has been serially sexually harassing young female staffers. Vito Lopez belongs in jail, not our City Council.”

NKD further claimed that they will be distributing the “molester-free zone” fliers throughout the district to combat a possible Lopez candidacy.

New York Crains Business
by Chris Bragg
April 4, 2013

Brooklyn Assemblyman Vito Lopez has formed a campaign committee to raise money for a possible run for City Council, records show.

For months, there has been speculation that Mr. Lopez, who is embroiled in a sexual harassment scandal, might run for the seat being vacated by term-limited Brooklyn Councilman Diana Reyna. Mr. Lopez also has said that he is suffering from serious health problems, which has made him less eager to stay in the Assembly. Mr. Lopez recently said he was battling thyroid cancer and two new growths on his brain.

The sexual harassment complaints came from at least four women, two of whom received financial settlements from the Assembly. Both the state ethics panel, JCOPE, and a the Staten Island district attorney's office are investigating. Mr. Lopez could not immediately be reached for comment. Mr. Lopez stepped down as Brooklyn Democratic leader last year amid the allegations.

Several candidates are currently running for the council seat, including Antonio Reynoso, Ms. Reyna's chief of staff, who has lined up widespread labor support. Ms. Reyna is a former chief of staff for Mr. Lopez but the two have been at odds for years.

New York Daily News
by Erin Durkin
April 4, 2013

Pervy pol Vito Lopez has launched a campaign committee for a run for the City Council. The fundraising committee, Vito Lopez for City Council, was registered Thursday with the State Board of Elections, a spokesman said.

Lopez is gunning for a Brooklyn seat being vacated by term-limited Councilwoman Diana Reyna, a long-time foe. Lopez did not immediately return calls for comment. He listed his campaign treasurer as aide Andy Marte, who also did not return calls.

Lopez is accused of sexually harassing at least four female staffers - and his leering of a 14-year-old intern so alarmed the mother of one of the staffers that she called the police. Lopez is being probed by Staten Island District Attorney Dan Donovan for possible criminal misdeeds.

He has not yet registered with the city Campaign Finance Board, a spokesman said. He’d face off in the Council race against Antonio Reynoso, Reyna’s chief of staff, who has already racked up major endorsements.

New York Daily News
by Ken Lovett
April 1, 2013

Friday marks the initial deadline the state legislative ethics commission faced to take action based on a report about pervy Brooklyn Assemblyman Vito Lopez. But don’t expect anything just yet.

Despite criticism, Staten Island District Attorney Daniel Donovan has not lifted his request that the commission stand down until his office completes a related criminal probe into Lopez, who has been accused of sexual harassment by four former staffers. “The ethics commission is complying with that request, pursuant to statute,” said commission Executive Director Lisa Reid.

A Feb. 13 report by the state Joint Commission on Public Ethics is said by sources to “eviscerate” Lopez by revealing a pattern of sexual harassment that goes back years.

JCOPE sent its findings to the state legislative ethics commission for possible sanctions. Unless a prosecutor asks for a hold, the commission has 45 days from the date of receiving the report to take action. A Donovan rep wouldn’t say when his probe might conclude.

New York Post
by Erik Kriss
March 29, 2013

Albany -- Under fire for sex-harassment charges, State Assemblyman Vito Lopez is planning a political strategy session with allies next week that could propel him toward a run for City Council ­-- or retirement by the end of the year.

At the state Capitol yesterday to vote on the new state budget, the ex-Brooklyn Democratic boss --­ who is battling thyroid cancer and two new growths on the brain --­ strongly hinted he’ll either run for City Council in November or retire from the Assembly by the end of the year.

“It is increasingly more difficult for me to travel back and forth to Albany,” said Lopez (right), facing ethics and criminal investigations into allegations that he sexually harassed female Assembly aides last year.

“In the last eight months, I’ve gotten pneumonia twice,” Lopez said in the Assembly. “I’m continuing to have cancer-related problems, and I find it extremely difficult to sustain even another year here.”