By FREDRIC U. DICKER in Albany and SALLY GOLDENBERG in NY
Last updated: 7:26 am
July 18, 2008
Posted: 3:33 am
July 18, 2008
A former legislative staffer who had been sexually assaulted by an aide to Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver hailed yesterday a judge's harsh criticism of the powerful Democrat's handling of her case.
State Supreme Court Judge Emily Jane Goodman excoriated Silver in a ruling this week, calling his conduct "cavalier" and "outrageous and disgraceful."
The judge ruled that Silver doesn't have to pay for a $500,000 settlement reached in the case.
Elizabeth Crothers, a former legislative aide who accused then-Silver counsel Michael Boxley of raping her in 2001, supported the judge's characterization.
"The speaker's actions in office were cavalier and outrageous," Crothers, now a 32-year-old political consultant in Sacramento, Calif., told The Post.
Crothers was disturbed that Silver publicly defended Boxley before any investigation had been completed and treated her callously when she discussed the attack with him.
In 2004, a second female staffer who accused Boxley of rape and sexual harassment filed a suit accusing Silver of failing to investigate Crothers' complaint.
A spokeswoman for Silver said Crothers' complaint was treated promptly with "a vigorous investigation" and said Crothers withdrew her complaint. But Crothers insists she never withdrew it.
Silver cooperated with authorities in the rape case that ended in Boxley's conviction, added the spokeswoman, Sisa Moyo.
