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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