New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is vowing to "take all appropriate action" to compel a former state lawmaker to pay a large penalty for allegedly groping and intimidating female staff members.
The promise from a Schneiderman spokesman came after a state Supreme Court justice on Monday ruled in favor Schneiderman and dismissed former Assemblyman Vito Lopez's claims that he was denied due process.
The once-powerful Brooklyn Democrat was accused of harassing young female staffers in a 2012 scandal. He denied it. Attempts to reach his attorney on Tuesday were unsuccessful.
A $330,000 fine was assessed by the Legislative Ethics Commission after it determined that Lopez had violated ethics rules 33 times.
Taxpayers are responsible for $545,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by two former Lopez staffers.
(c) 2015 AP
