On second thought...

From Gotham Gazette:

Two days after announcing that he would be joining a consulting firm as a partner while retaining his seat in the New York State Assembly, Michael Blake has changed his mind.

"I've decided that the clear priority is and always has been the constituents of my district, and I'm not going to allow anything to distract from that. I'm not going to be a partner at Hilltop," Blake told Gotham Gazette Sunday evening, meaning Hilltop Public Solutions, the consulting firm.

"I'm not going to let the noise that's been out there continue," he added, referring to the immediate negative response that the announcement garnered from good government advocates and in the media. "I'm not going to let this be a distraction for the people. I want to be focused on the work and focused on my family."

Assembly Member and a consultant at the same time

From DNA Info:

On the same day one of the most powerful lawmakers in the state was convicted of selling his office, Bronx Assemblyman Michael Blake announced he was taking a job with an influential political consulting firm.

Blake will join Hilltop Public Solutions as a partner, the firm announced in a press release Friday afternoon.

"I am excited to be joining Hilltop,” Blake said in the release, which did not mention he was an Assemblyman. “I look forward to working with the team and helping as we focus on progressive issues around the country.”

Blake, in a telephone interview, said there is no conflict of interest between his two jobs because he will work only on national and international projects for Hilltop. He said the release did not mention his role as an elected official because he wanted to make it clear the two aren't related.

"No conflict at all," said Blake who said the position was approved by the legislative ethics commission. "I understand the sensitivity," he added.