Gloria Allred, the high-powered attorney representing one of the women who is accusing Assemblyman Vito Lopez of sexual harassment, slammed Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver in the latest of the back-and-forth over the growing scandal.

Allred says Silver’s posture seems to indicate that he is blaming the alleged victims over the terms stemming from the settlement.

“It appears that the Assembly Speaker, in an effort to divert attention from the Assembly’s conduct, is attempting to blame the women who brought claims against Mr. Lopez and then agreed to a settlement,” she said in a statement. “The privacy and reputation of these women has been shattered because of apparent leaks. The Speaker, through his own statements and his spokespeople, has repeatedly implied that the women who brought the claims against Mr. Lopez sought only a settlement for financial gain and that they requested that no investigation occur. That is false.”

Silver has said there was nothing wrong with authorizing the settlement of more than $103,000, but regrets keeping it a secret. He’s also said he welcomes an investigation by the Joint Commission on Public Ethics.

The New York Times reported today that Lopez also paid out more than $30,000 of money he controls to settle harassment claims.

Women who come forward with complaints of sexual harassment are entitled to protection and should not be attacked because they agree to a settlement in order to protect their privacy and reputation. They should be afforded the chance to find work where they are valued for their merit instead of their bodies.

An investigation should be conducted a.s.a.p. and the redacted settlement agreement that was released to the press in no way absolves the Assembly of that responsibility.

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