Vito Lopez and his Hour-of-Power

New York Daily News
Brooklyn boss Vito Lopez must disprove sex charges or quit
Opinion
August 25, 2012

Vito Lopez has shamed his public office and must go.

There is no place in the New York State Legislature for a man who committed the gross sexual misconduct ascribed to Brooklyn Assemblyman and Democratic boss Vito Lopez by his colleagues.

Lopez must resign ­ or immediately prove that he’s innocent of preying on young female aides with the sort of physical contact that demands criminal investigation.

New York Daily News
by Kenneth Lovett
August 25, 2012

There was no shortage of schadenfreude after the news broke, which might explain the immediate calls for Lopez’s resignation from those in his own party. But it’s also an example of his still-considerable power that none of the calls Friday came from any major Brooklyn politicos.

ALBANY -- For years, Assemblyman Vito Lopez was bulletproof despite a black cloud of corruption that hovered over him.

But in the end, the powerful Brooklyn Democrat wasn’t caught with his hands in the cookie jar ­ but on the thighs of his young staffers.

It’s somewhat ironic that Lopez, who is facing a cascade of calls to resign as both a legislator and Brooklyn Democratic Party boss, was possibly brought down not by law enforcement that has been investigating him but by a panel of his peers who for years catered to him ­ or cowered from him.

New York Daily News
Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver settled previous case in part with public funds, a confidentiality agreement and a mandatory sex harassment workshop, according to a report.
by Glenn Blaim
August 25, 2012

ALBANY - At least one sexual harassment accusation against pervy Brooklyn Assemblyman Vito Lopez was settled secretly before his censure for sexually harassing two female staffers, a new report says.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver settled the previous case this year in part with public funds, a confidentiality agreement and a mandatory sex harassment workshop, The New York Times reports.

It was unclear how much money was involved and who requested the secrecy agreement, The Times said. But Gloria Allred, a high-profile Los Angeles lawyer, was involved in the case, the report said.

New York Times
by Danny Hakim and Thomas Kaplan
August 25, 2012

ALBANY -- Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver quietly settled at least one sexual harassment accusation against a powerful Brooklyn assemblyman before censuring him on Friday for sexually harassing two other female employees, people with knowledge of the agreement said.

The previous accusation against Assemblyman Vito J. Lopez, who is also the head of the Brooklyn Democratic Party, was settled earlier this year at least in part with public funds, a confidentiality agreement and a mandatory sexual harassment workshop. The workshop was held on Thursday in Mr. Lopez’s district office, but it was not clear whether he attended.

Gloria Allred, the Los Angeles lawyer known for negotiating high-profile settlements, represented the employee or employees who received money from the Assembly. Many details remain unclear, including whether one or two accusers were paid in the settlement. It was also unclear how much money was involved, and who requested the secrecy agreement.

Sexual Harrassment Case Gets Vito Lopez Booted From Housing Committee Helm, Censured
NY York Daily News
August 24, 2012; 1:19 PM

Vito Lopez Loses Housing Committee Amid Sexual Harassment Allegations
The Politicker
August 24, 2012; 1:22 PM

Lincoln Restler Calls on Vito to Step Down
The Politicker
August 24, 2012; 2:01 PM

Amid Calls To Quit, Vito Lopez Says He Won't
New York Daily News
August 24, 2012; 3:14 PM

Vito Lopez engaged in 'verbal, physical sexual abuse'; stripped of post and perks: panel
New York Post
August 24, 2012; 317 PM

Brooklyn political boss Vito Lopez censured
Crains New York
August 24, 2012; 3:19 p.m.

Here's The Letter Shelly Silver Sent Assemblyman Vito Lopez Asking Him To Stop Being A Dirty Old Man
Village Voice
August 24, 2012; 3:35 PM

Calls for Lopez to Step Down Mount; Vito Vows to Hold On
The Politicker
August 24, 2012; 3:47 p.m.

Stringer, Quinn and Nadler denounce Vito Lopez
Capital New York
August 24, 2012; 4:01 PM

Assemblyman Vito Lopez Removed From Housing Committee Chairmanship Amid Sexual Harassment Allegations
City & State
August 24, 2012

Capital Tonight
by Nick Reisman in Albany
August 24, 2012

Assemblyman Vito Lopez, the Brooklyn Democratic political boss who has come under scrutiny for his use of legislative pork, has beens stripped of his Housing Committee chairmanship by Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver following allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct made by two Assembly employees.

"The bi-partisan Committee on Ethics and Guidance today delivered to me a report signed by all eight of its members finding that Assemblymember Vito Lopez violated the Assembly’s sexual harassment policy," said Silver in a statement. "I have reviewed the report and will fully implement its recommendations. The members of the committee have fulfilled their obligation to independently and thoroughly review these allegations, and I thank them for their hard work."

New York Times
August 24, 2012
by Danny Hakim

ALBANY - Assemblyman Vito J. Lopez, one of the last powerful Democratic Party bosses in New York City, was abruptly stripped of his committee chairmanship and censured Friday after he was accused of sexually harassing two women who worked in his district office this summer.

Mr. Lopez, 71, is a longtime fixture of Brooklyn politics, and an irascible kingmaker: he has served in the Assembly since 1984, and has headed the Brooklyn Democratic Party since 2005.

But on Friday, he faced what had once been unimaginable: widespread calls for his resignation, after charges that he verbally harassed, groped and kissed the women without their consent.

New York Post
by Michael Gartland
July 29, 2012

He’s living large ­ on the union dime. Assemblyman Vito Lopez, chief of the Brooklyn Democrats, has used campaign cash to splurge on $3,000 worth of prime beef at world-famous Peter Luger Steakhouse in the last three years.

He spent $790 at Luger’s ­ where a porterhouse for two runs $90 and a plate of sliced tomatoes costs $15 ­ in the past five months, according to campaign filings.

Friends of Vito Lopez filed bills for the meals under “constituent services” in the state Board of Elections expense code, which is usually reserved for district office renovations, supplies and telephones.

His campaign committee also shelled out $4,000 at Whitey Produce, a Canarsie grocer, and spent $3,500 on a Long Island clown company that does face-painting.

Capital New York
by Dan Rosenblum
July 17, 2012

After winning a relatively hard-fought primary against an opponent who was backed by the Brooklyn Democratic organization, Rep. Nydia Velázquez went to Williamsburg to thank a critical part of her base.

At the Rose Castle banquet hall near the Brooklyn Navy Yard, in front of a room full of Hasidic Jews from the Satmar sect, Velazquez said, “We are all in this together and I just want to say, I want to put Vito Lopez behind me."

The crowd cheered her, and booed at the mention of Lopez.

Though Velázquez lost Hasidic Williamsburg in raw votes, a recent split of the Satmars into two factions (the Aroynem and Zaloynim, after the names of the rival brothers who lead each one) produced competing blocs for Velázquez and Lopez’s proxy in the race, City Councilman Erik Martin Dilan. Velazquez, a 20-year incumbent, ended up receiving more than 4,000 votes from the Aroynem community.

Capital New York
by Redi Pillifant
June 19, 2012

Her meeting with Brooklyn's Democratic boss Vito Lopez had been a friendly one, as far as Nydia Velazquez knew.

It was 1992, the year she was first elected to Congress. Velazquez and Dennis Rivera, then the president of the health care workers union, 1199 SEIU, met with Lopez at the Hilton Hotel in Manhattan to coordinate his support for her campaign.

Lopez, a veteran assemblyman, wouldn't become Brooklyn Democratic Party chair until 2005, following the conviction of his predecessor for soliciting illegal campaign contributions. But he had already emerged as an influential power broker.

"We planned to hold a press conference for the following week," Velazquez said, in an interview this week.

Then Lopez stopped returning Rivera's calls, according to Velazquez.