Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - New York Lt. Governor Brian Benjamin resigned Tuesday afternoon, facing charges of bribery, falsifying information and other related charges, however his name still be on the primary ballot in June.
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"It's very tough to get off the ballot once the deadline for declining a nomination occurs and that happened in February when he was nominated," said Republican strategist, Carl Calabrese. "That leaves you three ways to get off the ballot. The first way way is to die. Another way would be to get disqualified by moving out of state and another way is to lose the primary. There are other people running for Lieutenant Governor."
With the primary in June, Governor Kathy Hochul does not have the opportunity to select another running mate for the primary. "She really has no opportunity to substitute the candidate," comments politicsandstuff.com political analyst Ken Kruly. "There are two other candidates running and one of them will be the winner of the primary."
The charges brought upon Benjamin, if found guilty, can bring decades of jail time. "These are serious felonies," added WBEN legal analyst Paul Cambria. "We are talking about ten, twenty year felonies. The allegations are that he traded influence for campaign donations and when there was an investigation, they falsified records, obstructed the investigation and made false entries. These are all very serious charges."
Immigration advocate Ana Maria Archila, a Democrat running for lieutenant governor alongside New York City public advocate and gubernatorial candidate Jumaane Williams, said Albany politicians have traded “favors for money” for too long.
“Today is a dark day, with Albany at its worst on display for all New Yorkers to see,” Archila said.
The scandal is the latest in a long history of lawmakers and other Albany leaders who’ve been engulfed in allegations of wrongdoing.
Cuomo’s resignation as governor came not only amid allegations of sexual harassment but that his administration misrepresented the number of New Yorkers who died in nursing homes from COVID-19.
In 2008, then-Gov. Eliot Spitzer resigned amid a prostitution investigation.
Former New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, one of the most powerful figures in state government, resigned in 2015 after he was arrested on federal corruption charges.
Former Republican state Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos, who for a time shared power with Silver, was convicted of extortion, wire fraud and bribery.