It must have been an odd day for Sheldon Silver.
The longtime and powerful Assembly Speaker became just a regular rank-and-file member after turning in his resignation Monday night. He watched from the back row the following afternoon as Carl Heastie was elected the next leader of the chamber. Silver's legal problems forced him to give up his title as speaker. We caught up with him before he slipped out of the chamber almost unnoticed.
"I had the speaker's chair for over 20 years and I think I accomplished a lot and I think it's time a younger person takes over and you know, does the job," the Manhattan Democrat said.
When asked about what he thought the chamber should do to make the legislative process more open, Silver replied "I think it's very transparent. We have been and we will be."
He then, without much notice, walked into the elevator and left the Capitol.
