Here is the exchange from last night’s debate at Skidmore College between U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and her Republican opponent Wendy Long in which the Vito Lopez sexual harassment scandal was brought to the forefront.

In the segment of the forum that allows the candidates to “cross examine” each other by asking a question, Long asked Gillibrand whether she believed Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver should resign for his role in presiding over the confidential settlement money paid to the alleged victims.

Gillibrand wouldn’t go that far, but she did criticize Silver’s actions.

“My view is Vito Lopez should have paid those fines himself,” she said, though Lopez did kick in part of the money for the total $130,000 settlement. ”Taxpayer money should not have been used. But we do have to hold people accountable and that’s why the investigation is so important and Speaker Silver was wrong for it not to have been public.”

The Democratic senator added that sexual harassment is wrong no matter where it occurs.

“There’s no place in this state or country for a boss to sexually harass his employee and certainly no place in state government,” she said. “Speaker Silver has asked for a full investigation as to the nature of a confidential settlement and why it was permitted to be a confidential settlement”

The Lopez scandal has been a common hammer used by Republicans in the race. During the Democratic National Convention — when much of the story began to unravel — Long and state GOP officials charged tried to pressure Gillibrand into saying that Silver should not be in charge of reading the New York delegation count at the event.

Gillibrand at the time said Silver should keep his job as the delegation’s leader.

 

Share|