A Democratic assemblywoman who stuck by Sheldon Silver — the former speaker who was convicted of corruption — is now facing potential political fallout over the connection.
Labor lawyer Arthur Schwartz is running a primary campaign to unseat Deborah Glick, a longtime Silver pal whose downtown district (Tribeca, Greenwich Village, Chelsea) borders Silver’s Lower East Side turf.
Glick was first elected in 1990 as a trailblazer — the first openly lesbian candidate elected to the state Legislature. She hasn’t faced a serious challenge in her 25 years in office.
But Schwartz, a 34-year resident of Greenwich Village and a Democratic district leader, charges that Glick was among the lawmakers who allowed Silver to corrupt Albany.
And he claims that Glick, who chairs the Assembly Higher Education Committee, stood by Silver right up to his conviction.
“Glick was a Silver crony. She was one of his enablers. I am trying to get rid of somebody who was part of the corruption, who enabled the corruption,” said Schwartz, 63.
“Deborah was one of Silver’s enforcers, lieutenants.”
Schwarz also hit Glick for backing Silver after it was revealed that he covered up sexual harassment by late Assemblyman Vito Lopez.
Glick responded to Schwartz’s challenge by saying: Bring it on!
“I am not dismissing this challenge. But I am confident I will be re-elected,” she said.
Glick said Schwartz’s attempt to smear her with Silver’s crimes won’t stick.
“It’s an absurdity. It’s an attempt to equate me with someone else’s actions,” she said. “My conduct, to the contrary, has been done honestly. I never accepted outside income.”