The New York Times ran this article today detailing what is currently known about AG Schneiderman and Comptroller DiNapoli’s involvement in the secret Vito Lopez settlement.
It is interesting to note that the article reports that “[b]oth [Schneiderman and DiNapoli] said they were unaware of the settlement until it was described in the news media, even though their staffs were told that the negotiation involved Ms. Allred on one side and Mr. Lopez, the Brooklyn Democratic chairman, on the other.”
It defies belief that nobody informed Schneiderman or anyone on his executive staff about a proposed settlement involving allegations that Vito Lopez — essentially the most powerful politician in Kings County — sexually harassed his staff members.
But even if Scheiderman is telling the truth, it’s hardly a comforting thought that the staff of New York’s top law enforcement official kept him in the dark on the issue. Just imagine what would happen if that had happened under Cuomo’s AG administration. I can assure you that heads would certainly be rolling.
Similarly, it’s just not credible for DiNapoli wasn’t informed by his General Counsel what was going on.