(Alan Solomon)
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Michael Boxley, the former top aide to Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver who was convicted of sexually abusing a legislative staffer, has re-emerged as principal in one of Albany’s top lobbying firms, The Post has learned.
Boxley’s return comes as the Legislature grapples with sex-harassment accusations lodged against Brooklyn Assemblyman Vito Lopez.
Boxley, 53, is a registered lobbyist for Brown & Weinraub, the seventh largest firm lobbying in the state, advocating for its clients across state government, including the Assembly where he once worked.
The government career of Boxley, once the chief legal counsel to Silver, came crashing down in 2003 when Albany police removed him from the Capitol in handcuffs after a female staffer accused him of rape.
Boxley subsequently quit the Assembly after he pleaded guilty to sexual misconduct to settle the rape charges.
The misdemeanor crime required him to file as a sex offender, serve six years’ probation and triggered a suspension of his law license.
In accepting the deal, he admitted to having sexual intercourse with a 22-year-old legislative staffer without her consent.
It also led the Assembly to pay $500,000 to settle a civil suit filed by the victim.
As with the recent sexual-arassment allegations facing Lopez, Silver was then accused of mishandling the Boxley scandal.
Another 24-year-old Assembly staffer previously had filed a sex-abuse complaint against Boxley in 2001.
But an Assembly in-house probe found no conclusive evidence of wrongdoing, and Boxley kept his powerful job until he was arrested two years later.
“It’s outrageous. It’s disturbing,” said state Sen. Liz Krueger (D-Manhattan), when told Boxley was working in the Capitol as a lobbyist.
“I was appalled at the time that Boxley was allowed to stay in the Assembly after the first reported incident,” said Krueger. “The fact that he can return as a lobbyist reflects the incestuous relationship in Albany between the Legislature and the lobbying firms.”
Sonia Ossorio, president of the New York City chapter of the National Organization for Women, said, “This is someone who [pleaded] guilty to a sex crime. People who have anything to do with violence against women shouldn’t be representing voters or shaping people’s lives.”
For his part, Silver insisted he played no role in Boxley landing a coveted lobbying gig.
“The speaker has had no contact with him since the day he left the employ of the Assembly,” said Silver spokesman Michael Whyland.
Boxley did not return a call seeking comment.
Brown & Weinraub partner David Weinraub defended the hiring, pointing to Boxley’s vast experience in Albany.
Before serving as Silver’s chief counsel, Boxley did stints working in the legal office of then-Gov. Mario Cuomo, and served as counsel to the Senate Democratic leader and later as Silver’s legal eagle.
“I know him for 20 years,” said Weinraub, adding that Boxley’s criminal record from a decade ago was not a concern for his firm or his clients.
“I like to look at people’s totality of experience.”
State records show that Boxley is registered as lobbyist for CAMBA, a not-for-profit social-services group in Brooklyn; Aeon Nexus Corporation; Caseus Energy, a California-based firm that produces ethanol; and Dominion Voting Systems.