Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver is expected to keep his high-profile job at the Democratic National Convention, despite the ongoing controversy over his role in securing a $103,000 secret settlement for an alleged sexual harassment victim of Assemblyman Vito Lopez.

But Silver, who arrives in Charlotte this afternoon, is expected to announce the delegation role call Tuesday when the party re-nominates President Obama.

It makes Silver the face of New York for the DNC, even as party leaders here insist the Lopez scandal won’t be a distraction (Silver is expected to talk to reporters this afternoon, a move that barring any further developments could allow him to clear the deck for the rest of the week on the matter).

Asked today at the West Indian Parade whether Silver should continue leading the delegation, Gov. Andrew Cuomo gave a characteristically careful response as per our NY1 colleague Zack Fink:

“There are a number of senior Democrats there and everybody has a role. In terms of the investigation of Vito Lopez, that investigation is ongoing. There are actually two investigations. One that I asked for, and there is apparently a potential criminal investigation that’s going on by the staten island district attorney. So I would say let those investigations find the facts.”

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