Metro

Silver holds Plaza fund-raiser as Assembly is poised to pass campaign finance reform

State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and his political arm squeezed business fat cats, labor leaders and lobbyists for campaign cash at a swank fund-raiser at the Plaza Hotel today – as the Assembly is about to pass a campaign finance reform bill.

Asked if having such a lavish spread was in bad taste in light of recent Albany scandals, Silver said, “I don’t think it’s a lavish spread.”

Even at the Plaza?

The speaker said the hotel was “the cheapest place we could find.”

The Democratic Assembly Campaign Committee fund-raiser comes less than two weeks before the expected end of the legislative session – and many donors may have felt compelled to give because they have business pending before the Assembly in the final days.

Silver declined to comment on lawsuits filed Thursday against him and former Assemblyman Vito Lopez by two former Lopez staffers, who allege they were sexually harassed by Lopez. Silver is under fire for quietly settling suits by two other victims.