Sheldon Silver

Sheldon Silver

Template:TOCnestleft Sheldon Silver was the Speaker of the New York State Assembly from 1976 until his arrest in 2015. On 27 July 2018, at the age of 74, Sheldon Silver was sentenced to seven years in prison "for a scheme that put $4 million in illicit legal fees in his pocket."

He is married to Rosa Silver.

Background

Born on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, Silver graduated from Yeshiva University and Brooklyn Law School. He also served as a practicing attorney.

NeighborWorks America event

November 25, 2009, at a press conference in Chinatown, Asian Americans for Equality (which was started by the Communist Workers Party, announced it has become a charter member of NeighborWorks America. A non-profit created by Congress. NeighborWorks provides financial support and training for community-driven revitalization projects. As a start, AAFE was presented with a check for nearly a a quarter of a million dollars. On hand to celebrate the occasion, a wide range of elected officials. Among them: Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Rep. Nydia Velazquez, State Sen. Daniel Squadron, Assembly member Grace Meng and City Councilmember Rosie Mendez. Margaret Chin, District 1's new City councilmember and a former AAFE executive was there, as well.

Supporting DiNapoli

Democratic heavyweights came out for Tom DiNapoli, October 21, 2010, as he took his re-election campaign for state comptroller to Chinatown.

Assembly speaker Sheldon Silver, New York City comptroller John Liu, state senator Daniel Squadron, assembly member Grace Meng, council member Margaret Chin were among supporters at a press conference at the Chinese Consolidated Business Association.

“We’ve all showed up together because that’s how important it is to send a message,” Squadron said.

DiNapoli emphasized his strong working relationship with Liu, labeling the pair a “dynamic duo”.

Silver took exception.

“Margaret Chin really just reminded me long before the two of you got together, Margaret Chin and I were called the dynamic duo,” he said.

Asian Americans for Equality, 37th Anniversary

Sheldon Silver, Jean Quan, Floyd Huen, Margaret Chin, Christopher Kui

In March 2011, hundreds of supporters came to the Jing Fong Restaurant in Chinatown to help the prominent advocacy and housing organization, Asian Americans for Equality, celebrate its 37th anniversary. Dignitaries such as Rep. Anthony Weiner and State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver addressed hundreds of invited guests as they feasted on platters bursting with lobster, whole fish and roast chicken.

Silver presented a special award to Oakland Mayor Jean Quan, who last year became the first Asian woman to be elected chief executive of a major American city.

Asian Americans for Equality, 38th Anniversary

Dignitaries such as U.S. Rep. Nydia Velazquez, State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Comptroller John Liu, State Senator Daniel Squadron and City Council member Margaret Chin came to Chinatown March 2012, to help Asian Americans for Equality celebrate its 38th anniversary. A fundraiser for more than one-thousand supporters was held at the Jing Fong restaurant on Elizabeth Street.

Lunar New Year, school holiday

Grace Meng has worked many years, with Asian Americans for Equality affiliates, to promote legislation making Chinese Lunar New Year, a school holiday in New York.

On January 31, 2013, a press conference was held outside P.S. 20 in Flushing. State Senators Daniel Squadron (D-Chinatown) and Toby Ann Stavisky (D-Flushing), Assemblymember Ron Kim (D-Flushing), and Congresswoman Grace Meng (D-Queens) urged the City to make the Asian Lunar New Year a school holiday so that New York City's growing number of Asian American students can celebrate with their families without missing class.

Legislation (S160/A276) sponsored by Senator Squadron and Assemblyman Kim, and co-sponsored by Senator Stavisky, would establish the day of the Asian Lunar New Year as a school holiday in municipalities with significant Asian American populations of at least 7.5 percent.

For years, now-Congresswoman Meng carried the legislation in the Assembly, along with Squadron in the Senate.

“When I served in the state legislature, I led the effort to make the Lunar New Year a public school holiday, and worked with Speaker Sheldon Silver to pass the bill in the Assembly,” said Grace Meng. “I am glad that my successor Ron Kim will now be taking up the cause. Making the Lunar New Year a school holiday would recognize the important customs and culture of Asian Americans, and it would highlight the vital role that the Asian American community plays in our city. I am happy to continue my support for this important measure."

"Stop the Violence" rally

On January 31, 2013, Sheldon Silver, addressed a "Stop the Violence" rally supported by Asian Americans for Equality, and several other radical, and community groups.

They included;

Co-patrocinadores: All the Way E 4th St Block Association, Art Loisaida Foundation, Asian Americans for Equality, Baruch Houses Resident Association, Chinese Chamber of Commerce of New York, Chinatown Partnership, Coalition for a District Alternative , Community Education Council 1, Compos Plaza Resident Association, East Village Community Coalition, Educational Alliance, Fourth Arts Block, Loisaida United Neighborhood Gardens, Lower East Side Business Improvement District, Lower East Side Girls Club, PSA 4 Community Council, Rutgers Houses Resident Association, Smith Houses Resident Association, Two Bridges Houses Resident Association, Wald Houses Resident Association, 7th Precinct Community Council.

Dream of Equality awardee

Sheldon Silver is a past recipient of Asian Americans for Equality's annual Dream of Equality award.

Praising Margaret Chin

In January 2014, after winning a tough re-election campaign against a much younger opponent with little political experience, Councilmember Margaret Chin showed off her own strong political ties as she entered a second term at her inauguration.

Chin was also praised — always professionally, but sometimes on a deeply personal level — by Sen. Chuck Schumer, House Representatives Jerry Nadler and Carolyn Maloney, State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Borough President Gale Brewer, and State Sen. Daniel Squadron.

References

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