NY ethics board meets amid Vito Lopez sex harass scandal

September 10, 2012 Associated Press

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ALBANY — The state’s Joint Commission on Public Ethics is scheduled to meet today amid a growing legislative sexual harassment scandal.

JCOPE isn’t issuing an agenda and won’t confirm the scandal has been or will be discussed in the board’s closed-door sessions.

A special prosecutor is already investigating sexual harassment claims against Williamsburg-Bushwick Assemblman Vito Lopez as well as a settlement approved by Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. The settlement used $103,000 of public money to end the first set of accusations against Lopez.

On Friday Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Silver and Senate leader Dean Skelos all made public statements that their appointees should vote to start an investigation.

JCOPE board member Ravi (rah-vee) Batra (bah-tra) announced Friday that he has contacted federal agents to investigate corruption in JCOPE. Hours later, he resigned.