New York State Assemblyman Vito Lopez has gained national prominence with the recent allegations that he sexually harassed several young female staffers in his office, and then attempted to cover it up — with the assistance of Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli and Attorney General Eric Schneiderman — by buying the staffers’ silence with settlements funded by the State.
But Lopez’s political and business dealings have been under scrutiny for a long time. And no wonder; until the sexual harassment scandal forced his resignation, Lopez was the Democratic Boss of the Kings County (i.e., Brooklyn) Democratic Party. That office is infamous for its long history of corruption and other misconduct.
- Growth of a New-Age Political Machine, New York Times (Feb. 7, 1993)
- Probe Finds Brooklyn Dem Vito Lopez’s Non-Profit Empire Riddled with Fraud, New York Daily News (Sept. 15, 2010)
- Probe of Brooklyn Dem Boss Vito Lopez Gets Attention of Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, New York Daily News (Sept. 20, 2010)
- This is High-Pay Robbery, New York Daily News (Aug. 4, 2011)
- Vito Lopez’s Campaign Treasurer and Girlfriend Reap Huge Pay Hikes at Nonprofit, New York Daily News (Nov. 16, 2011)
- At Ailing Wyckoff Hospital, Insider Deals and Lavish Perks, New York Times (Mar. 25, 2012)
- Vito Charity Shocker, New York Post (June 3, 2012)
- Vito Lopez Helped Get Deals for Family and Friends, New York Daily News (Sept. 16, 2012)
- If this Brooklyn Kingmaker is Asking, Saying No is a Risky Option, New York Times (Sept. 4, 2012)
- City of New York Department of Investigation, November 10, 2011 Report: