William Collins, counsel to Speaker Sheldon Silver's Democratic conference in the Assembly, is stepping down over Collins' handling of sexual harassment claims against a Democratic assemblyman that surfaced in 2009. Silver spokesman Michael Whyland said the complaints by a staffer of Assemblyman Micah Kellner, D-Manhattan, that Kellner had sent her suggestive instant messages were not brought to Silver's attention or referred to legislative ethics officials for investigation as required by Assembly rules.
Whyland said Silver ordered the materials forwarded to the Assembly Ethics Committee when he learned of them last month in the course of the sexual harassment scandal involving ex-Assemblyman Vito Lopez, D-Brooklyn. "Speaker Silver was not informed by Bill Collins about this matter at the time and he feels the matter should have been handled differently," Whyland said in a statement. "The speaker has had a conversation with Mr. Collins and he will be leaving the Assembly's employ." Whyland said Collins' departure date from his $141,000-a-year job had not been finalized as of Wednesday. Collins declined to comment, Whyland said.
