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Curtis Sliwa buzzes Sheldon Silver, tells freed ex-pol: ‘You belong back in jail’

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Published May 5, 2021
Updated May 5, 2021, 4:41 p.m. ET

Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa descended Wednesday afternoon on Sheldon Silver’s Manhattan apartment building — where he buzzed the crooked ex-pol and told him he should be back behind bars.

In the unusual exchange over the intercom at Silver’s Lower East Side building, the Guardian Angels founder-turned-radio host confronted the 77-year-old former Democratic speaker of the state Assembly following his release Tuesday from a federal prison upstate.

Mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa did a doorknock at Sheldon Silver's building to make sure he was in his apartment.
Curtis Sliwa rang up to Sheldon Silver at the ex-politician’s apartment building. William Farrington

Sliwa said into the microphone: “Shelly?”

Silver: “Yeah.”

Sheldon Silver served less than nine months in prison, much less than his original sentence. William Farrington

Sliwa: “This is Curtis Sliwa, Shelly. I’m just making sure — we’re supervising to make sure you’re in your apartment, Shelly.”

Silver: “I’m here, Curtis.”

Speaking over the intercom, Curtis Silwa said directly to Sheldon Silver that he should still be in jail.
Speaking over the intercom, Curtis Sliwa said directly to Sheldon Silver that he should still be in jail. William Farrington

Sliwa: “You’re not going to go anywhere, right, Shelly?”

Silver: “Nope.”

Curtis Silwa put up the flyers of Sheldon Silver in the apartment's vestibule.
Curtis Sliwa put up the flyers of Sheldon Silver in the apartment’s vestibule. William Farrington

Sliwa: “You know you belong back in jail. You should be in Otisville.”

Silver: “Thank you. Take care. Be well.”

Curtis Silwa and his supporters are looking to get Sheldon Silver back into prison.
Curtis Sliwa and his supporters are looking to get people to sign a petition to get Sheldon Silver back in lockup. William Farrington

Silver — who was convicted in a $4 million corruption scheme — served less than nine months of a 6½-year sentence before being furloughed by the US Bureau of Prisons, pending a decision to let him serve the rest of his time under home detention.

Curtis Silwa is in his own run in politics as he's running as a Republican candidate for NYC mayor.
Curtis Sliwa is making his own run in politics as a Republican candidate for NYC mayor. William Farrington

Sliwa showed up in Silver’s neighborhood with a group of supporters seeking signatures on a petition to send him back to prison.

Several locals stopped to add their names, including Betty Siegel, 52.

“I do feel it wasn’t enough time, despite the COVID and all that, and even despite his health. He could have sat a little longer,” she said.

“Even the time he was given was not nearly enough. This was just way too soon.” 

Sliwa said an online version of the petition on his campaign website already had around 1,000 electronic signers.

He and his team also posted flyers on the wall inside the lobby of Silver’s building that showed the ex-pol in a suit and red tie behind bars.

“Send him back to jail,” the signs said.

An unidentified woman later took down the posters but declined to comment.