Metro

Lhota set to call for embattled Silver to resign for handling of Vito Lopez grope scandal

GOP mayoral candidate Joe Lhota today will call for embattled Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver to resign for mishandling sex harass claims leveled against Vito Lopez, The Post has learned.

Lhota’s bombshell announcement could become a big headache for Democratic mayoral rivals who have stood by Silver.

That’s because Lhota may also demand that all other candidates running for City Hall join him in calling for Silver to step down, a source close to the campaign said.

Lhota is expected to unload on Silver at an afternoon press conference on the steps of City Hall.

The Lhota campaign declined comment.

Silver approved $103,080 hush deal to settle sex harassment claims filed against ex-Assemblyman Lopez by two female staffers. The speaker admitted he erred by failing to report the initial cases for the Assembly ethics panel to investigate.

A scathing state investigative report last month found that Lopez groped or mistreated as many as eight female staffers — much of the harassment occurring after Silver was accused of covering up the initial harassment claims.