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NYC Assemblyman Lopez will resign amid sex scandal

Vito Lopez

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Democratic New York City Assemblyman Vito Lopez says he will resign amid a sexual harassment scandal and run for New York City council.

Lopez says he'll step down June 20.

Lopez has been under growing pressure after it was revealed the state secretly paid women $103,000 to settle sexual harassment claims against the one-time Brooklyn power broker.

Two blistering reports this week, from a special prosecutor and the state's Joint Commission on Public Ethics, painted an ugly picture of unwanted comments and contact from the 71-year-old assemblyman.

He does not face any criminal charges.

On Thursday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Lopez should resign or be expelled from the Assembly. Late Thursday night, powerful Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver said he would push to throw him out of the legislature.

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