Legislature hustles to fill attorney general's post
Source: Albany Times-Union
ALBANY - Democrats who control the state Assembly met hastily behind closed doors on Tuesday morning to discuss filling the vacancy created by the stunning resignation of Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.
During the members-only conference in the Capitol, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said they discussed the legislature's authority in the process and considered their options moving forward. The state's Public Officers Law gives the state legislature the power to fill a vacancy in the attorney general's and other statewide positions.
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The process of filling the vacancy may be dominated by the Assembly Democrats, who almost make up a numerical majority of the state Legislature.
Appointing a successor would still require a joint vote of the legislature, which Senate Republicans balked at convening in 1993 when then-Comptroller Ned Regan resigned. Heastie said he will speak with Senate Majority Leader John J. Flanagan about convening a joint session and noted that they're reviewing how past vacancies were filled.
Read more: https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Legislature-considers-filling-AG-post-12897149.php