Monday, September 3, 2012

They all knew

From the Wall Street Journal:

Attorneys representing two women in a sexual-harassment dispute against Brooklyn Assemblyman Vito Lopez had initially demanded a settlement payment of $1.2 million before agreeing to a fraction of that amount, according to internal email correspondence made public Thursday by the state attorney general's office.

The emails also show that top legal advisers to Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli had been briefed on the major terms of the final prelitigation settlement and didn't raise objections to the ultimate payment of more than $100,000 from state coffers.

In an email dated May 29, days before the agreement was inked, the Assembly majority counsel William Collins wrote to counsels for the attorney general and state comptroller offices to brief them on the talks and share with them a draft copy of the terms. "Note the complainants initially sought $1.2 million and reduced their settlement number only once (to $600,000) before we drew a hard-and-fast line," he said in the email.

Lawyers for the two female complainants, represented by Gloria Allred, a prominent sexual-harassment attorney in Los Angeles, and a Manhattan firm, declined to comment on Mr. Collins's email.

The attorney general's office had no official role in the talks, but Mr. Schneiderman's counsel had several discussions with the Assembly's counsel about how the deal was playing out, according to the email.

Mr. Schneiderman's office suggested minor adjustments to the terms but didn't advise against the proposed payout in taxpayer cash of $103,080, the agreed amount for damages and attorney fees. Mr. Lopez paid an additional $32,000 as part of the deal.


The Staten Island DA has been appointed special prosecutor in this case. he's concerned that the highly political nature of it will lead to leaks.

And despite all this, Lopez will cruise to victory this fall.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

taxpayers...."we want our $$$$$$returned".

Anonymous said...

What is it with these pols?
Fucking their constituents isn't enough for them?

Steve Behar said...

Shelly Silver paying off women with taxpayer dollars to protect Vito Lopez.

Silver is the Joe Paterno of Albany!

Alfredo C said...

Shame is they all knew and no one will pay. God I hope I am wrong and they all pay.

Anonymous said...

The state AG, the biggest political hack that has ever existed is neck deep with these crooks and his past history with the aqueduct crew still wasn't enough for the "smart" voters of new York to get rid of this bum. And now we think we are going to get an investigation? You really think so? Its been announced the AG has launched an investigation of Bain capital, there's your investigation because that's what the liberal garbage of NY wants

Anonymous said...

RE:Alfredo : their answer is the phony NYS investigation in to local private equity firms, hoping to publicize a new issue ,so the Lopez story gets buried.

see:NY Post, Frederic Dicker ,Inside Albany,
today."AG USING BAIN TO BURY VITO SCANDAL: G.O.P. BIG "

Alfredo C said...

Sad thing is you are right. They will divert the attention and they will probably be re elected.

Anonymous said...

will VITO be a poster boy at the dem. convention this week ?

will he lead the nys delegation cheering from Brooklyn ?

will he repay the nys taxpayer's the thousands of "BIMBO HUSH $$$$$" doled out ?

Anonymous said...

Silver has to go..........he admits wrongdoing on tv,then says the republicans are wageing a war on women in the same breath...BALLS!