The new information exposed by the Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) against Assemblyman Lopez is troubling to say the least. These actions represent a disservice to the people of his district and the people of the state of New York, and this resignation is long overdue.

This event is another sad episode in the string of scandals that continue to stain the State Legislature. New Yorkers are losing faith in the integrity of our state government, and they have every right to. Changes have to be made to restore the public trust and prevent corruption and cover-ups from continuing to plague New York. This whole situation only highlights the need for real reform. We should combat these scandals by enacting term limits and give voters the power to hold recall elections of corrupt officials and strip officials convicted of corruption of their taxpayer-funded pensions.