The wheels turned again Monday on the Vito Lopez scandal and potential cover-up when Assembly speaker Sheldon Silver told the Daily News that he called Lopez on Friday and asked him to step down. “He basically was inaudible,” Silver said of Lopez. “I got the impression he didn’t appreciate my advice.” Lopez, who’s been accused of sexually harassing multiple women in his office, paid $64,000 in June to settle two harassment claims against him. Silver negotiated an additional $103,080 secretive payment of state funds that June and later apologized for approving a confidential settlement. As for what’s motivating Silver now? “The premise that Shelly Silver put himself on the line for Vito Lopez is laughable,” an Albany insider told New York’s Chris Smith. “Shelly really dislikes Vito. He wanted to get rid of Vito! Shelly’s basic operating principle is, ‘What’s in Shelly’s interest?’”
