Mayor de Blasio said Thursday that he knows Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver to be a “man of integrity” and rejected calls for him to step down from his leadership post while facing corruption charges.
“Although the charges announced today certainly are very serious I want to note that I’ve always known Shelly Silver to be a man of integrity and he certainly has due process rights and I think it’s important that we let the judicial process play out,” the mayor said at City Hall.
“I think there’s two separate concepts there. I think he has the right to due process. I think that’s always something we need to affirm. Allegations are allegations. Charges are charges. and there has to be a process to determine an outcome. I think separately, it’s a true statement that he’s done a lot for New York City, and I value that certainly.”
The mayor had earlier called for the resignation of another elected official — former Staten Island Rep. Michael Grimm — before tax evasion charges against him were settled.
De Blasio said that case was different because “in Michael Grimm’s case we saw a pattern of questionable practices over a long period of time and it played out.”
He then reiterated that “in my experience with Shelly Silver I’ve seen integrity and public service.”
“I’m surprised always when this kind of conclusion is reached.”
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