Politics
Carl E. Heastie elected Speaker of New York State Assembly
Carl E. Heastie was earlier this week elected speaker of the New York Assembly.
Heastie, 47, made history by becoming the state’s first African American speaker. He replaces Sheldon Silver, who was forced to resign after his arrest on charges of accepting millions of dollars in payoffs.
Heastie vowed to create a new office of ethics compliance and take other steps to clean up Albany’s tradition of corruption and backroom dealing.
“We will change the cynicism into trust,” Heastie said. “Our state deserves a government as good as its people.”
Democrats hold a more than two-thirds majority in the chamber, and Heastie easily won the post over Republican Minority Leader Brian Kolb.
The Assembly’s only other business Tuesday was passage of a resolution honoring Martin Luther King Jr. Heastie noted the coincidence.
“Thank you, Dr. King, for making this day possible,” said Heastie, also the first speaker from the Bronx.
The speaker is one of the most important positions in state government. Heastie will direct the flow of legislation, set committee assignments and direct budget negotiations with Governor Andrew Cuomo and the Republican-controlled state Senate.
