| | Monday, June 10, 2013 NYDailyNews.com / Politics Follow @nydailynews Longchamp Le Pliage Politics Campaign finance laws, Vito Lopez scandal don窶冲 keep Sheldon Silver from fund-raiser The assembly speaker joined lobbyists, union reps, trial lawyers and other pols for a $1,000-a-plate meal of roasted chicken and fingerling potatoes amid state Democrats pushing for campaign finance reform laws and the career-threatening Vito Lopez scandal. By Jennifer Fermino AND Kenneth Lovett / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Friday, June 7, 2013, 10:42 PM Print Print Comment Tim Roske/AP Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-Manhattan) attended a pricey fund-raiser on Friday despite Democrats pushing to reform the state窶冱 campaign finance laws and his career seemingly in trouble over his handling of former Assemblyman Vito Lopez窶冱 sexual harassment allegations. Related Stories Check cashing stores push Albany lawmakers to allow 200% APR loans Donors to candidates involved in corruption scandals support ban on using campaign cash for legal Coach Factory Online fees Fundamentally lousyﾂ Career Government Employee Under Fire Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver goes to so many high-powered gatherings that he apparently sees the elegant chandelier-filled Terrace Room in The Plaza hotel as slumming it. 窶廬t窶冱 the cheapest place we could find,窶 Silver told reporters who confronted him as he entered a $1,000-a-plate fund-raiser that he hosted for the Democratic Assembly Campaign Committee at The Plaza on Friday.RELATED: VICTIM LAWSUITS IN VITO LOPEZ SEX SCANDAL MAY BE COSTLY FOR SILVER He dismissed a reporter窶冱 suggestion that the fete in the 窶徊ewel窶 of the luxurious Plaza was a posh affair. 窶廬 don窶冲 know if it窶冱 a lavish spread,窶 he said, dismissing suggestions that partying in grandeur struck a discordant note while the Vito Lopez scandal potentially threatens his leadership.Craig Warga/New York Daily News The Terrace Room at the swanky Plaza hotel was host to a $1,000-a-plate fund-raiser on Friday, which was attended by Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. RELATED: VOTERS WON窶儺 LET DAUGHTERS INTERN FOR LEGISLATURE: SURVEY Silver was forced to apologize after a scathing investigation found he made 窶徇istakes窶 in covering up allegations from the first two women who complained about lecherous behavior by Lopez, who quit the Assembly last month. Both Silver and Lopez were named in a pair of blockbuster lawsuits Thursday by two women who worked for Lopez after the first two victims received a secret $103,000 settlement.RELATED: CLEANSE THE SILVER STAIN But Silver se Longchamp Sale emed to make no connection between the scandal and Friday窶冱 f Christian Louboutin Pas Cher und-raiser 窶 even as he and other Democrats are pushing to reform the state窶冱 campaign finance laws.Andrew Savulich/New York Daily News Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, on was on his way to a $1,000-a-plate fund-raiser at The Plaza hotel, said the luxury hotel was 'the cheapest place we could find.' And Democratic fund-raisers showed no signs of distancing Coach Outlet Online themselves from Silver or his legal woes.RELATED: SILVER MUST PAY AND GO One politico said the room was 窶徘acked窶 with lobbyists, union reps and trial lawyers. More than 200 guests lunched on roasted chicken and fingerling potatoes. 窶廬t was better chicken than most,窶 said a lobbyist who attended. 窶廬t窶冱 the Plaza.窶 The lavish function was held in the 窶徭triking yet elegant窶 Terrace Room, which is decked with figural Italian Renaissance paintings on the ceiling and original crystal chandeliers modeled on those in the Palace of Versailles, according to the Plaza窶冱 website. A source close to the Silver camp said some urged him to cancel the fund-raiser, fearing it would look bad at a time when Democrats are pushing for campaign finance reform and also amidst a new flurry of activity around the Lopez scandal. But another Silver source said the successful fund-raiser 窶徭hows that he窶冱 still powerful.窶 jfermino@nydailynews.com and klovett@nydailynews.com
|