Posted by: Stefan Mychajliw, Reporter
Created: 6/5/2007 10:46:02 PM
Updated: 6/6/2007 11:40:40 AM
This investigation came from an email to our "You Paid For It" page on WGRZ.com.
Paul wrote: "If you really want to show a waste of taxpayer dollars you should report about the $500,000 settlement the State paid after Assembly Speaker (Sheldon) Silver's Chief Counsel was accused of drugging and raping two female assembly staffers."
But in a unique twist a fight is now on to get that money back.
Michael Boxley was arrested in June of 2003 and was indicted on two first degree and two-third degree rape counts.
An Assembly staffer accused Boxley of forcing her to have sex with him in 2001.
Another Assembly staffer came forward with a similar allegation two years later.
At the time Boxley was working as an aide to State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and eventually made a deal with prosecutors by pleading guilty to sexual misconduct, a lesser charge.
Boxley and Silver were hit with a civil suit by one of the victims.
She claimed the Assembly tolerated a "hostile work environment."
The case was settled for $500,000. Boxley had to pay $20,000. The rest, $480,000, was paid by the State of New York: taxpayers.
2 On Your Side's Stefan Mychajliw: "What do you think about the fact that taxpayers are stuck with this bill?"
New York State Assemblyman Mark Schroeder: "I know the people that I represent in my district will think it's ridiculous. And will be offended by it. It's wasting their taxpayer money."
Mychajliw: "Do you feel as though the person responsible should pay, and not taxpayers?"
Schroeder: "To answer that question in a simple way: yes. I really do feel that way."
A New York City taxpayer felt the same way and sued.
He wants a court to force both Silver and Boxley to pay the $480,000 out of their own pockets.
The suit claimed the State picking up the settlement tab was an illegal expenditure of state funds.
Mychajliw: "Is there anything that can be done now about this?"
Schroeder: "It will be interesting to see what happens on this particular case. Because I suspect what he's actually suggesting is that the State of New York paid money that they shouldn't have."
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