JCOPE Report on Assemblyman Vito Lopez Released

Earlier today, the Legislative Ethics Commission released the full investigation report from the New York State Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) regarding sexual harassment complaints against Assemblyman Vito Lopez.

The report was critical of Assemblyman Lopez – concluding that he violated the Public Officers Law on a number of occasions.  But the Richmond County District Attorney, who was appointed as a special prosecutor in the case, said in a statement that his actions were not criminal in nature.

It was also critical of Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-Manhattan) and his staff in terms of how they handled the complaints against Mr. Lopez.

The Assembly has censured Mr. Lopez for harassment, stripping him of his committee chairmanship and seniority.  Attention now turns to the Legislative Ethics Commission, which is responsible for determining whether additional punishment will be imposed on Mr. Lopez.  JCOPE Chair Daniel Horowitz urged the LEC “to act promptly.”

Read press coverage of the report’s release in the New York Times, the Times Union, the AP, the Daily News, the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, YNN, WAMC, and the Wall Street Journal.

Mr. Lopez continues to deny that he harassed the women, while some of the victims have begun to speak out.