The Joint Commission on Public Ethics announced today is forwarding a report for unnamed investigation to the Legislative Ethics Panel for review while also referring “certain findings” in the report to the Assembly Standing Committee on Ethics and Guidance.

The announcement from JCOPE, while vague, comes after months of investigating sexual harassment claims made against the once-power Brooklyn powerbroker Assemblyman Vito Lopez.

Updated: Lopez attorney Gerald Lefcourt has confirmed to several media outlets, including The Times’ Danny Hakim, that he will receive a report from JCOPE that is being forwarded to the Legisaltive Ethics Commission.

The Assembly approved more than $100,000 in settlements to female legislative staffers who accused Lopez of groping and making sexually suggestive comments.

Lopez has denied all wrongdoing, but was stripped of his Assembly Housing Committee Chairmanship.

JCOPE’s announcement also notes that “subject to limited exceptions” the Legislative Ethics Committee must make its report public within 45 days.

“Given the nature of this matter, the Joint Commission urges the LEC to act expeditiously,” the commission’s announcement said.

The scope of JCOPE’s investigation of the Lopez matter — and how far the commission is looking into Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver’s role in securing the settlements for the women — has never been confirmed. Silver has said he welcomed an investigation from the ethics committee, insisting that it would clear him of major wrongdoing.  

Silver has also conceded that keeping the payments a secret was wrong.

Calls to Silver’s spokesman were not immediately returned this afternoon.

Updated: Spokesman Michael Whyland said in a statement emailed this evening that the speaker’s office is confident JCOPE found no legal or ethical wrongdoing on the part of Silver or his staff.

“As we have said throughout, we are confident that the commission found no legal or ethical violation by Speaker Silver or his staff and urge the Legislative Ethics Commission to release the report immediately,” he said.

The announcement comes the same day as the latest, and possibly most disturbing, allegation is made against Lopez: The New York Post reported that the Democratic lawmaker “leered” at a 14-year-old intern.

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