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Some calling for Skelos to resign

WBFO News file photo

While the court system is just starting to work through the corruption charges filed against Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos, calls for his resignation are already emerging. 

Buffalo Democratic Senator Tim Kennedy said Skelos has to go.
          
"Today's arrest and allegations are certainly disturbing and each and every elected public official should be held to the highest standards and those who lack transparency and take advantage of a position of power should be held accountable and there is no difference in this situation," Kennedy said.

New York Public Interest Research Group Legislative Director Blair Horner said it's significant that again in the charges against Senate Republican leader Dean Skelos the charges are being brought by federal, not state prosecutors.

"In Albany, the lack of clear guidance and certainly the lack of independent enforcement, I think, allow more people to stray from what the public should accept and that system has to change," Horner said.

"It hasn't changed yet. There's been a lot of head fakes, misdirection but we need to get real reform in Albany or this is going to continue."

The latest charges mean two of the "three-men in a room" who were in that room running state government at the beginning of this year now face criminal charges and potentially years in jail. Former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver is awaiting trial on charges he took millions of dollars in graft while in office.

Mike Desmond is one of Western New York’s most experienced reporters, having spent nearly a half-century covering the region for newspapers, television stations and public radio. He has been with WBFO and its predecessor, WNED-AM, since 1988. As a reporter for WBFO, he has covered literally thousands of stories involving education, science, business, the environment and many other issues. Mike has been a long-time theater reviewer for a variety of publications and was formerly a part-time reporter for The New York Times.