Even though it was released Friday, we feel the need to revisit Bronx District Attorney Robert Johnson's remarkable statement on the results of his investigation into sexual abuse of students by teachers at the prestigious Horace Mann School.

Prosecutors say the abuse ranged for 34 years, from 1962 through 1996. "The investigation revealed a systemic pattern of alleged abuse" beyond what the media had reported a year ago, the statement says. "In total, we received direct information regarding at least 12 separate alleged abusers," the statement says. "The reported abuse ranges from what may be characterized as inappropriate behavior, to child endangerment, actual instances of sexual contact, sexual intercourse and criminal sexual acts."

However, the statement leaves unanswered the key question about the school's own culpability in allowing the misconduct to fester through more than three decades. In other words, we still don't know what the school knew and when.

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New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver maintains that he believes that he'll be cleared of any wrongdoing in the Vito Lopez sex debacle, during which the speaker signed off on more than $100,000 in taxpayer funded hush money to sweep allegations of sexual misconduct against Lopez under the rug.

He also claims that he "acted in the best interests" of the several victims of Lopez's alleged pervy-ness -- which, New York GOPers say, is laughable.

Further reading on the Silver/Lopez scandal:

Vito Lopez In Sex And The Assembly: How To Sweep A Scandal Under The Rug

Ladies, Assemblyman Vito Lopez Would Prefer You Not Wear A Bra To Work

Vito Lopez's Pervy-ness Cost Taxpayers $103,000 -- Thanks To Shelly Silver

Gloria Allred, NOW Have Shelly Silver In Sights Over Hush Money

Here's The Letter Shelly Silver Sent Assemblyman Vito Lopez

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Assemblyman Steve Katz

Over the past six months, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver has really taken it on the chin in the PR department. And rightly so -- it was recently revealed that he signed off on more than $100,000 in taxpayer-funded hush money to help sweep allegations of sexual harassment against his former pal/alleged pervert Vito "Gropez" Lopez under the rug.

But covering up Assemblyman Gropez's multiple cases of alleged pervy-ness is just the latest in a long history of Silver's using his powerful position in New York State politics to help his pervy pals (ahem) get off.

In January, the Assembly will elect a new speaker -- and if history tells us anything, Silver will once again get elected speaker. But not if Assemblyman Steve Katz gets his way.

Further reading on the Silver/Lopez scandal:

Vito Lopez In Sex And The Assembly: How To Sweep A Scandal Under The Rug

Ladies, Assemblyman Vito Lopez Would Prefer You Not Wear A Bra To Work

Vito Lopez's Pervy-ness Cost Taxpayers $103,000 -- Thanks To Shelly Silver

Gloria Allred, NOW Have Shelly Silver In Sights Over Hush Money

Here's The Letter Shelly Silver Sent Assemblyman Vito Lopez

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Powerful Democratic Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver continues to catch heat for his coverup of sexual harassment allegations against his former pal, disgraced Assemblyman Vito Lopez, and now New York Republicans are circulating a petition calling for his resignation.

Granted, it's only a petition -- it will do literally nothing to procedurally remove Silver from office. And Shelly Silver's still Shelly Silver -- he's one politician in New York who could probably weather the storm if caught with the proverbial dead woman or live boy. But, as toothless as the GOP's petition may be, it sends a message that people are sick and tired of the speaker and his "old boys club" that is the New York State Assembly.

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Apparently realizing that "it's always about the coverup," the Joint Commission On Public Ethics (JCOPE) announced last night that it's widening its probe of the sexual harassment allegations made against shamed Assemblyman Vito Lopez to include the more than $100,000 in taxpayer money Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver approved to cover some of them up.

Previously, the commission said it would not be investigating the speaker, which drew criticism from members of Silver's own party.

Critics -- including the National Organization for Women -- have blasted Silver over the way he handled the allegations, suggesting that the payout was just the latest example of his sweeping allegations of sexual harassment in the Assembly under the rug. Democratic state Senate candidate Monica Arias Miranda  -- who claims she was constantly harassed while working as an Assembly staffer -- says Silver's Assembly is an "'ol boys club," where women are powerless against harassment from male co-workers.

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New York Post scribe Fred Dicker supposedly is the "dean of the Albany press corp." When he's not puckering up to the rump of Governor Andrew Cuomo, Dicker is pegged with the task of weeding out scandals and corruption at the highest levels of state government.

That said, you'd think that if a former Assembly staffer went to him with a story about how she repeatedly was sexually harassed by her superiors, an old "pro" like Dicker would at least check it out, right?

Wrong -- according to Monica Arias Miranda, a Democratic state Senate candidate who used to work as a budget analyst for the Assembly Ways and Means Committee, anyway (Dicker denies the claim and Miranda has provided us with nothing other than her word to corroborate her story. More on that below). 

However, she tells the Voice, now that shamed Assemblyman Vito Lopez has brought sexual harassment within the state Legislature to the forefront of public interest, Dicker -- like the rest of the establishment -- has begun to take notice.

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Shelly Silver's off the hook for covering up allegations of sexual misconduct against one of his buddies...again.

Much to the dismay of the National Organization of Women, women's rights attorney Gloria Allred, Assembly candidate Frank Commisso Jr., and thousands of New Yorkers, we're sure, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver is off the hook for his tax-payer funded coverup of allegations of sexual misconduct by his old pal/current disgraced Assemblyman Vito Lopez.

The Joint Commission on Public Ethics has decided to not investigate Silver's role in sweeping sexual harassment allegations made against Lopez under the rug by paying two of his accusers more than $103,000 in taxpayer money to essentially keep their mouths shut about Lopez.

After Lopez's initial accusers were successfully paid off, Lopez allegedly sexually harassed at least two other young, female staffers in his office -- which makes sense considering Silver gave him the impression that he was free to feel up whomever he wants by paying off two of his accusers.

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www.gunaxin.com

If the many, many allegations of sexual misconduct are true, shamed Assemblyman Vito Lopez is a dirty, dirty old man -- he tells female staffers not to wear bras, shoves his hands up their skirts, etc.

The coverup of the disgraced pol's alleged actions by Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver are equally slimy. But is it as bad as the coverup at Penn State? Where administrators failed to do anything about the countless claims of sexual abuse of children by serial pedophile Jerry Sandusky? Because that's what New York Republicans are now comparing it to.

Comparing an alleged filthy old man to an even filthier old man seems like a bit of a stretch -- Lopez is just a pervert, while Sandusky is straight-up evil. But state GOPers aren't comparing perverts, they're comparing coverups, which seems to be a somewhat valid comparison.

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At the very least, Albany County District Attorney David Soares is an expert when it comes to sex with young, female staffers.

Just so we're all on the same page: Albany County District Attorney David Soares admittedly had sex with a young female staffer. Shamed Assemblyman Vito Lopez is accused of trying to have sex with several young, female staffers. Soares now wants to join the team investigating allegations that Lopez tried to have sex with young female staffers.

As we pointed out yesterday, there are 62 district attorneys in New York -- perhaps the one who's had sex with a young, female staffer isn't necessarily the guy you want investigating a disgraced assemblyman accused of trying to have sex with young, female staffers!

On the other hand, at least Soares is an expert when it comes to having sex with his employees -- which might be the reason he actually asked to tag along with Staten Island District Attorney Dan Donovan in investigating the allegations against Lopez, despite having no knowledge that any of the alleged victims made claims in Albany County.

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Albany District Attorney David Soares knows a thing or two about sex with young, female staffers (spoiler alert: that's because he had sex with one).

The Associated Press is reporting this afternoon that a second special prosecutor has signed on to investigate allegations that shamed Assemblyman Vito Lopez sexually harassed several young, female staffers. What the AP fails to mention is that the new special prosecutor has his own less-than-admirable history when it comes to sex with young, female staffers (read: he had sex with a young, female staffer).

The new addition is Albany County District Attorney David Soares, 42, who was forced to admit last year that he had a long-standing sexual relationship with 26-year-old Stacey Quackenbush, a young legal secretary working in his office at the time.

Unlike Lopez, no allegations of sexual harassment were made against Soares. That said, there are 62 district attorneys in New York -- perhaps the one who's had sex with a young, female staffer isn't necessarily the guy you want investigating a disgraced assemblyman accused of trying to have sex with young, female staffers!

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