Sheldon Silver. (Photo: Getty Images)

Facing growing calls for his resignation, Assembly Speaker Shelly Silver, surrounded by an army of loyal supporters, apologized for his handling of the Vito Lopez allegations and announced a series of reforms to ensure, he said, that such mistakes will never be made again.

"I want New Yorkers to know I care deeply about this institution and its employees, that I remain dedicated to our core commission of protecting those who are most in need of a strong and caring government," Mr. Silver told reporters at a press conference in Albany hours after Mr. Lopez officially resigned.

To help prevent any future interference, Mr. Silver announced that, going forward, all sexual harassment complaints made against an elected official or staffer will be handled by independent investigator or counsel, who will neither be appointed nor serve at the will of the speaker.

Mr. Silver also moved to ban all confidential settlements by any government agency, including both houses of the Legislature and the Governor's office. And he announced that any member or supervisor who is informed about harassment by another employee will have a mandatory duty to report that harassment--or face immediate sanctions.

The speaker faced intense criticism for his handling of the complaints against Mr. Lopez. According to a pair of lurid reports released last week, Mr. Silver failed to refer complaints against Mr. Lopez to the Assembly's ethics committee, and appeared more concerned about keeping the allegations from the public than making sure they were handled properly.

Mr. Silver again admitted Monday that he had made mistakes and said that his conduct "weighs heavily on me.”

“Mistakes were made. I greatly regret them," he said, adding that he felt it was his responsibility to ensure that nothing like this ever happens again.

Still, Mr. Silver said that, despite a slew of editorials calling for his head, he has never considered stepping down.

“I did not give any thought to resigning," he said.

He also insisted that, despite calls for a more thorough investigation into his handling of the matter, he sat for more than 10 hours with investigators, as did senior staff members.

“I want to be clear. There was a full investigation here," he said, adding that he, too, was shocked by the reports' findings.

“I had no independent knowledge of the extent to which these complaints were taking place," he said. “I was horrified."

Gov. Andrew Cuomo. (Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Monday that voters don't blame him for the scandals sweeping Albany, joking that nobody could have expected him to ban sex.

Speaking during an appearance on WCNY's "Capitol Pressroom" earlier today, Mr. Cuomo was asked about a new poll that shows that, despite the recent scandals--including Assemblyman Vito Lopez's resignation following sexual harassment allegations--his numbers have ticked slightly up.

Mr. Cuomo explained that voters see "the government’s working better" despite the "corruption and scandal and politicians doing bad things."

Host Susan Arbetter asked why he shouldn't shoulder some of the blame.

“No, because look, well why should … Is the governor to blame for Vito Lopez’s sexual [harassment]? No,” he said, dismissing the premise. “When a congressman is doing sexual bad behavior, do we blame the president for a congressman’s sexual exploits? Ah, no."

Instead, he said that voters are "very good at making those kinds of separations.”

"Is the governor responsible when an assemblyman is bribed or when a legislator violates an escrow account or sexually harasses a staff ... No, of course not. It’s silly," he said. “We may postulate that theory well, the governor’s supposed to clean up everything, meaning, no sex," he said, joking.

“That would not be popular,” noted Ms. Arbetter.

“That’s right,” Cuomo said with a laugh.

Mr. Cuomo explained he thinks that voters see that he's doing everything he can to try to pass reforms to cut down on corruption.

“We don’t hold him responsible for the bad acts. But we believe he’s doing everything he can," he said. "Which is true. I am doing everything that I can do. I’m glad they see it that way."

And Mr. Cuomo threatened once again that, if his ethic reform plan fails to make it through by the end of the legislative session, he'll call for the special investigative panel called a Moreland Commission.

“At the end of the day, one way or the other, there will be a reform in place," he said.

Still, Mr. Cuomo refused to call for action again Assembly Speaker Shelly Silver and said that what is happening in Albany is reflective of society as a whole.

“Will you ever stop people from doing venial, stupid criminal, illegal acts?"he asked. "Not in government, not in politics, not in the militarily," he said. ”This is prevalent through society."

The sign outside Ex-Assemblyman Vito Lopez's office has already been removed. (Photo: Twitter/@thomaskaplan)

Ex-Assemblyman Vito Lopez’s resignation became effective at 9 a.m. this morning, and Assembly officials wasted little time scrubbing all traces of the disgraced legislator online and in Albany.

Mr. Lopez's official government website has already been removed, as has his official Assembly email address. ("Delivery to the following recipient failed permanently," a message read.) By 10:30 a.m., the nameplate outside his Legislative Office Building had also been removed--apparently forcibly, per a photo tweeted by The New York Times' Thomas Kaplan. His name will also be removed from his floor seat, an official said.

At his district office in Brooklyn, phones this morning rang unanswered. “I’m sorry, but there’s no room right now to record your message. Please try again later. Goodbye," an answering service said.

At Mr. Lopez’s legislative office in Albany, staff reported to work but were apparently unsure of what to do.  “I don’t know,” a flustered woman who answered the phone said when Politicker asked if they were still operating.

Of course Albany leadership is no stranger to the process of making disgraced legislators disappear. In recent years the body had dealt with a slew of forced resignations, including most recently, Bronx Assemblyman Nelson Castro, who was forced to resign on federal perjury charges after helping the feds gather evidence against his colleagues by wearing a wire.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver's spokesman, Michael Whyland, said that Mr. Lopez's staff will remain on the payroll for an "indeterminate" period of time performing constituent services and can still be contacted at the same offices and numbers.

But any legislation he introduced will be stricken, per Article 3, Section 13 of the State Constitution, Mr. Whyland said.

However, if Mr. Castro's office is any indication, those who live in Mr. Lopez's district may not want to held their breaths--phones at both his district and legislative offices rang unanswered Monday.

Sen. Malcolm Smith talks to CBS6. (YouTube/CBS6Albany)

State Senator Malcolm Smith, who has been accused of trying to bribe his way onto the ballot to run for mayor, has seemingly lost interest in the job.

“Right now I want to continue to do what I'm doing as state senator and try to do the best I can for the constituents that I'm still representing," the embattled Queens lawmaker said when asked about his mayoral ambitions in a recent interview with CBS6 Albany.

Mr. Smith, a Democrat whose odd candidacy for mayor as a Republican was widely viewed as quixotic even before the corruption charges, also said that he intends to continue to serve in Albany--despite his recent arrest.

"Well all I know is I'm here to do my job still, you know. There's bills that will be coming up during session and [I'm] looking forward to dealing with them," he said, pointing to the governor's women's equality package. "I look forward to being a part of that."

Mr. Smith was otherwise mum, declining to answer questions on whether he was innocent or the evidence the feds had collected against him.

"Unfortunately I can't respond to that right now. You now, my attorney requires me to  just not make a comment, as much as I would like to," he said, repeating: "I stand by my attorney's comments, and that's the best I can do right now.

Additionally, CBS caught up with Assemblyman Eric Stevenson, who was also arrested recently for allegedly accepting bribes in exchange for introducing legislation.

"Basically, I thought all Americans were presumed to be innocent. And we'll fight his in court and I'll fight to be exonerated and I'll fight for my innocence," he told the channel, maintaining his innocence, but declining to comment on the specifics of the case.

You can watch the full interviews here:

Gov. Andrew Cuomo. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

As the fallout from the recent slew of arrests of state legislators continues, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Monday that he doesn't want what he dubbed "Scandalmania" hijacking his agenda.

"What I'm trying mightily to do is not allow the Scandalmania--'cuz you know how the press is with scandals and that becomes all-consuming--I don't want that to eclipse the session and I don't want it to derail the session because we have a lot of good work to do out there for New Yorkers who just want their government to function," said the governor during a radio appearance on "The Capitol Pressroom with Susan Arbetter."

"We have to be able to do both at the same time," he added. "Lets' deal with the reform agenda and deal with the quote-unquote scandals, but let's also do what we're supposed to do and get the government working."

Mr. Cuomo came into office promising to clean up Albany and restore public faith in government. But in recent weeks, the news has been dominated by non-stop headlines about the arrests of high-ranking legislators and investigations into lawmakers and former aids.

But Mr. Cuomo said that he intends to move forward with the remainder of his agenda--including plans to legalize casino gambling, restructure local governments and a women's equality package--as well as pushing a new round of ethics reforms.

"Because of the charges by the prosecutors, we're using the moment to come up with a reform agenda," he said.

Still, Mr. Cuomo geared down expectations, acknowledging the session had "gotten more complicated" because of the added "dimension." And he said that much of the work he'd hoped to accomplish this year is already done.

"Remember the context. We got most of our work done in the budget and before the budget, which is usually the way," he said. "But there are items that we have left for this session," he said.

But even the reforms are proving a challenge. Republicans have made it clear that they are against any type of public financing system--something Mr. Cuomo reiterated was "essential."

"I see it all as one," he said. "This is a complicated system and we're trying to close down the loopholes all throughout the system."

Mr. Cuomo also promised more transparency in the coming weeks, despite a recent report that lawmakers had demanded a state ethics commission scrub its report on the handing of the sexual assault allegations against Assemblyman Vito Lopez.

"The disclosure, first of all, it has been much, much better and it's about to get much, much better," said the governor, pointing to new financial disclosure forms that will be released on Wednesday. "I think the people are gonna be shocked."

Albany. (Photo: Wikimedia)

This afternoon, courts released a sentencing document for State Senator Shirley Huntley, detailing her cooperation with federal authorities in the wake of her arrest in a bribery scheme. After a slew of corruption scandals have rocked New York State politics in recent weeks, including several of Ms. Huntley's Albany colleagues, particular attention was placed on the names of officials and staffers caught in Ms. Huntley's wiretaps. There are nine names on the list.

In documents filed with the court, the U.S. Attorney's Office wrote that "eight of these nine individuals remain the subjects of ongoing criminal investigations.” According to Ms. Huntley's lawyer, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI recorded and photographed the following individuals on multiple occasions:

State Senator John Sampson
Melvin Lowe (former political consultant and associate of New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman)
State Senator Eric Adams
State Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson
State Senator Jose Peralta
State Senator Malcolm Smith
City Councilman Ruben Wills
State Senator Velmanette Montgomery
Curtis Taylor (former staffer for Malcolm Smith)

The U.S. attorney's office refused to tell Politicker which individual is not subject to the ongoing investigation.

But Mr. Wills' campaign said he was the innocent one.

"My attorney has been in contact with federal law enforcement authorities and he has been informed that I am NOT the target of any investigation arising from proceedings involving Shirley Huntley," the councilman said in a statement. "I have personally not been contacted by any law enforcement officials to date and I look forward to continuing the work of the people of southeast Queens that elected me.”

Mr. Wills' statement is echoed by one from Mr. Adams. “I have not been contacted about any investigation. I believe deeply in transparency and the pursuit of justice—and that is why I committed 20 years of my life to law enforcement,” he said. “I am more than willing to help with any investigation.”

A spokesman for Mr. Schneiderman declined to comment but a source in his office pointed to all of the work Mr. Lowe, one of two non-electeds named on the list, has done for other officials. Mr. Schneiderman once indicted Ms. Huntley so there may be a tense relationship that led to the attorney general being singled out. "The notion that Schneiderman had a business relationship with Lowe is ridiculous," the source said.

All of the officials on the list are Democrats. Among them are two pols campaigning for higher office--Mr. Adams and Mr. Peralta for Brooklyn and Queens borough president respectively. Politicker has reached out to the offices of Ms. Hassell-Thompson, Mr. Peralta and Ms. Montgomery and has yet to receive a formal response to the news. Mr. Smith and Mr. Sampson have already been indicted in separate cases.

"This is an extremely trying time in Albany. If any charges are brought the conference will take appropriate action," Senate Democratic Conference Spokesman Mike Murphy said in a statement. A spokesman for the Senate Republican Conference declined to  comment.

This post will be updated with additional information as it arrives.

View the sentencing letter below:

Mayor Bloomberg and Governor Cuomo, as seen on Instagram.

If their administrations could be summed by Instagram alone, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Governor Andrew Cuomo would be a fascinating study in contrasts.  And one of the two top Empire State politicians is clearly much more at home on the popular photo sharing site.

Mr. Bloomberg's Instagram page has a good deal of humor with pictures of the mayor mugging for the cameras alongside costumed characters, celebrities, children and city workers. Hizzoner's Instagram also has it's more serious shots such as depictions of the devastation wrought by Hurricane Sandy and photos of solemn memorial services. However, these more somber moments are softened by artistic touches, liberal use of Instagram's signature nostalgic filters and compositions that let iconic architecture and picturesque natural elements take center stage. The page also includes a photographic tour of New York City landmarks captured at particularly picturesque opportunities with impressive fog, technicolor sunsets and bright blue skies.

Governor Cuomo takes on a snowstorm. (Photo: Instagram)

Meanwhile, Mr. Cuomo's Instagram account, eschews the artistry of the City Hall page for a decidedly more macho approach characterized by spare usage of filters, a focus on photos of the governor, in his signature "Team Cuomo" windbreaker, on scene responding to weather emergencies and several shots of construction equipment and vehicles including planes, trains and automobiles. Mr. Cuomo is also depicted in some dramatic on-the-job scenes including the governor gravely fielding phone calls at the Office of Emergency Management during preparation for Hurricane Sandy, making speeches at multiple public events surrounded by his official regalia, fishing and flexing his muscles for an annual flu shot.

In an email, Julie Wood, a spokeswoman for Mr. Bloomberg, who manages the mayoral Instagram account, described making the page a mixture of branding and beauty.

"We use the account to and highlight important initiatives and projects of the Administration's, and also to showcase all the wonderful parts of New York City," Ms. Wood said. "I try to choose photos that are both visually compelling and also relevant to our Administration's long-term goals ... or current focus on any given day."

Mr. Cuomo's team, meanwhile, simply aims to depict the governor in action.

"We launched our instagram account  just a few months ago but since then we have been using it to give the public a firsthand view of the activities of the Governor and State Government - it's been a more visual addition to what we communicate via twitter and facebook," Mr. Cuomo's spokesman Matthew Wing wrote in an email.

So far, Mr. Bloomberg's Instagram persona has clearly caught on far more with the site's users. The mayor has both a page for his administration and a personal page that, according to Ms. Wood, was created to focus on his wider philanthropic and advocacy endeavors. With both pages combined Mayor Bloomberg has amassed over 45,000 followers on the site compared to Mr. Cuomo, who has just 1,265 on his single account. Mr. Bloomberg's many celebrity cameos (including the Muppets, Lady Gaga and even a Jonas Brother) have unquestionably helped fuel his page's popularity, but the different approach the two politicians have taken to the site could also explain why the mayor has had more Instagram success than the governor.

Bloomy meets the Muppets. (Photo: Instagram)

Both men are notoriously image-conscious with Mr. Bloomberg eager to brand himself as a technocratic administrator focused on finding data-supported solutions rather than partisanship and Mr. Cuomo, who is an especially careful steward of his image as a no-nonsense, bipartisan reformer dedicated to rebuilding a formerly broken state government apparatus. However, Mr. Bloomberg seems to have been more willing to allow his aides to create a specifically tailored version of his brand for the Instagram audience. If Mr. Cuomo truly wants to make a dent with the infamously twee aesthetes in the Instagram demographic, he might want to take a page from Mr. Bloomberg's playbook and lighten up his muscular mixture of heavy machinery and action shots with some star power, scenic sunsets and maybe even a few jokes.

Dov Hikind in his Purim costume. (Photo: Facebook)

Brooklyn Assemblyman Dov Hikind has been at the center of a firestorm since Politicker revealed he wore a "black basketball player" costume consisting of an afro wig, brown face paint, an orange jersey and sunglasses to a Purim party at his home Sunday. At first, Mr. Hikind fiercely defended himself against criticism before penning a "heartfelt and sincere apology" on his website this morning. Though the incident and Mr. Hikind's initial response generated harsh headlines around the world and provoked critical statements from other politicians, several insiders we spoke with insisted Mr. Hikind was spared from a stronger reaction because of the unique power he wields on the local political scene.

One local political insider noted this isn't the first time Mr. Hikind has courted controversy without facing lasting repercussions. In 2011, Mr. Hikind was one of the most vocal Democrats opposed to New York's legalization of gay marriage. He bucked his party again this year when he suggested Jewish support for President Barack Obama was a "disease."

"Can you imagine if somebody else had said that? What does that even mean, right?" the insider said of Mr. Hikind's comments on the presidential election. "People are not willing to stand up to him. Internally, everyone realizes he's a dirtbag, we're just not going to say that because that's the game we play."

A Brooklyn politico told us political figures running for citywide office are reluctant to take on Mr. Hikind because they fear "retribution" from a man who's seen as "the gatekeeper of Orthodox Brooklyn."

"If this were another Assemblyman what would happen here? A three-car pileup of city officials denouncing his actions," they said of the costume incident before citing names of several elected officials who hadn't weighed in on the flap.

The local political insider listed several factors as contributing to Mr. Hikind's strength, including his status as a perceived "kingmaker" in Brooklyn's Orthodox community, his large war chest and his past association with the militant Jewish Defense League, which has been described by the FBI as a "right-wing terrorist group."

"It's a number of things. One, he has created a perception that he is a power broker who can actually deliver and, in a city where fewer and fewer political machines are relevant, this hits home. People really are afraid to go up against him," the insider said of Mr. Hikind. "Number two, he's amassed an awful lot of campaign cash. ... Thirdly, he's like genuinely a scary dude. He's connected with quasi-terrorist organizations that have been investigated by the FBI and he's the kind of guy that can flip on you at any moment. He operates in this sort of mysterious, shadowy way up in Albany."

Mr. Hikind's Assembly district encompasses the neighborhoods of Borough Park and Midwood, two major components of the city's Orthodox community. Last year, he was re-elected by defeating his lone opponent in the district 94 percent to six percent. He received over 19,000 votes in that effort, an impressive total in a city where the last mayoral election was decided by about 50,000 votes.

All of the sources we spoke with speculated the impression of Mr. Hikind as an influencer in the Orthodox community might be, as the Brooklyn politico put it, "overblown." Indeed, some Orthodox insiders privately told us Mr. Hikind's reputation as a power broker is largely a myth because the younger generation of Orthodox Jews is less beholden to old institutional forces. However, the perception of Mr. Hikind  as a key Orthodox power player persists on the political scene.

In addition to the idea Mr. Hikind influences a solid base in the Orthodox community, the insider described his role as a visible figurehead in the city's wider Jewish community as a major source of his strength. Mr. Hikind hosts his own show on a local Jewish radio station and is always among the first and loudest officials to speak out on issues seen as affecting the community and instances of discrimination against Jews.

"He really does the Jewish thing very, very effectively," said the insider. "Cross him and he'll call you an anti-Semite and put you in the New York Post. In New York City politics, that's something people are genuinely scared of and he plays it. ... It's like identity politics, mixed with money, mixed with intimidation."

Mr. Hikind's perceived influence in the Orthodox community both inside and outside of his district is especially important given the disproportionate presence of Orthodox voters in city elections. Orthodox voters reportedly make up as much as five percent of the total electorate in the five boroughs. Because of this, many of the major mayoral candidates have been courting Orthodox leaders ahead of the election.

Several of the insiders we spoke with suggested this desire to woo Orthodox voters may have saved Mr. Hikind from more fierce public attacks from the mayoral frontrunners. All three of leading Democratic candidates; Christine Quinn, Bill de Blasio and Bill Thompson, commented on the situation, but none of them sent out a wide press release on the incident. While Ms. Quinn simply said, "Assemblyman Hikind's costume was highly inappropriate and offensive and he should apologize," her rivals took a decidedly softer approach and included praise for Mr. Hikind in their statements on the situation.

"In all the time I've known Dov, I've never found him to be prejudiced against anyone, but clearly he did something very insensitive here," Mr. de Blasio said. "He should apologize."

Mr. Thompson echoed the call for Mr. Hikind to issue an apology while also noting he looks forward to working with the Assemblyman in the future.

"For years, Assemblyman Dov Hikind has played a crucial role in bringing together leaders from the African American, Jewish, and other communities to stand against racism and anti-Semitism," said Mr. Thompson. "Consistent with his record of service and commitment to our diverse city, I believe this incident calls for Assemblyman Hikind to issue an apology. I have stood with Dov on numerous occasions to take on the challenges that face our city. I look forward to doing so again.”

A Democratic operative, who echoed the description of Mr. Hikind being seen as an Orthodox "kingmaker," said both Mr. Thompson and Mr. de Blasio have been "angling for his endorsement" for some time.

"De Blasio has been courting Dov for years. Thompson employed Dov's brother in the comptroller's office," said the operative. "There are deep ties between Bill Thompson, Bill de Blasio and Dov Hikind."

A source close to Mr. Thompson pointed out the candidate has extensive ties to many Orthodox leaders. They also said Mr. Thompson, who did not receive Mr. Hikind's endorsement when he first ran for comptroller, but earned the Assemblyman's backing in his 2009 mayoral bid, had worked with Mr. Hikind in specific instances to diminish the tensions that long existed between the African-American and Jewish communities. Meanwhile, a source close to Mr. de Blasio said that, while the candidate's statement specified he knew Dov not to be a racist, Mr. de Blasio was still firmly calling for him to apologize.

Regardless, Mr. Hikind certainly seemed pleased by the treatment he received from Mr. de Blasio and Mr. Thompson in the aftermath of the costume controversy. He discussed the various political reactions to the incident in an appearance on the Zev Brenner show on local Jewish radio last night.

"A lot of people made statements today and, if you look at them, you can see the difference between many of them," explained Mr. Hikind. "The statements of Bill de Blasio, the statements of Bill Thompson, I mean you can see the difference between those who have worked with me, and know who I am and what I'm all about and those who just have to have a knee jerk reaction."

In that same appearance, Mr. Hikind reiterated his defense of the incident by arguing he meant no offense and his critics misunderstand the nature of the costumed Jewish Purim celebration.

"If I was doing that all over again, I would look at additional alternatives," Mr. Hikind said of his costume. "Maybe I would be a gay person. By the way, would that be OK Zev, if I played a gay person next year?"

By this morning, Mr. Hikind did what many politicians previously called on him to do and issued an unequivocal apology for the incident.

"My intention was never to hurt or make fun of anyone," he wrote in a statement on his website. "Unintentional as they were, I recognize now that the connotations of my Purim costume were deeply offensive to many. I am sincerely sorry that I have hurt anyone. I apologize for the pain that I have caused anyone by this incident, and by any remarks that I have made in connection with it."

Some observers clearly think Mr. Hikind's apparent ability to weather this storm despite taking a ather meandering road to a full mea culpa is a luxury few others could afford. In New York City politics, it's good to be the "kingmaker."

(Updated 1:22 p.m. to clarify Mr. Hikind did not endorse Mr. Thompson's campaign's for comptroller, but did back his '09 mayoral campaign.)

Dov Hikind and his family in their Purim costumes. (Photo: Facebook)

Assemblyman Dov Hikind held a press conference in front of his home this afternoon responding to the uproar over a story that first appeared on Politicker today about his "black basketball player" Purim costume. In front of a small crowd of reporters, Mr. Hikind apologized that people were "offended" and reiterated his initial defense that the getup, which consisted of an orange jersey, brown face paint, an afro wig and sunglasses was merely a costume to celebrate the Jewish Purim holiday. However, even after Mr. Hikind addressed the firestorm, several members of the City Council sent letters to the Assemblyman arguing his apology did not go far enough.

"Anyone who was offended by the outfit that I was wearing on Purim yesterday ... it was not meant to offend anyone or hurt anyone in any fashion," Mr. Hikind began. "That is not what I am all about for the past 31 years in pub office and before that."

Mr. Hikind went on to describe how "hundreds and hundreds of people" came to his home during the fourteen hour party for which he donned the costume yesterday. He said "the whole idea" of the costume was "not to be recognizable."

"Anyone who was offended, I'm sorry that they were offended. That was not the intention and that's really all I can say," continued Mr. Hikind. "I just have to reiterate, it was Purim. Purim is when people get dressed up and try to look different."

The Assemblyman also assured the crowd of reporters gathered in front of his home that his costume "was never about a racial thing."

"If I was black, I might have asked the makeup person who I hire every single year and said, 'Make me look white this year. I want to look differently, I just dont want people to recognize me,'" said Mr. Hikind, referencing his tradition of hiring a makeup artist to help him prepare for the Purim festivites. "It wasn't about white, it wasn't about black, it wasn't about anything like that. So, you know, in hindsight seeing that all of you guys are out here today and this has become a real story, my God, you know I would have picked something else."

Mr. Hikind also discussed rethinking his future Purim costume choices with the New York Times.

“Next year I was thinking I’d be an Indian,” Mr. Hikind said. “But you know, I’ve changed my mind about that. I don’t think that’s a good idea. Somebody will be offended.”

Mr. Hikind's apologies clearly did not satisfy the members of the City Council's Black Latino and Asian Caucus. After the press conference, Councilmen Robert Jackson and Fernando Cabrera, the co-chairs of the 27 member Caucus sent a letter to Mr. Hikind on behalf of the group asking him to make a "true and real public apology" and meet with community leaders.

"We write, as the Black, Latino & Asian Caucus of the New York City Council, to directlyaddress the incident involving your donning of blackface at a party, and your sentimentssuggesting that no offense should be taken," the letter said. "We find it deeply disturbing that, not only didyou make the conscious decision to wear the offensive costume, but your commentsfollowing the media blowback suggest that you have no consideration for the history of  blackface and the trivialization of the black experience in this country."

Councilman Jumaane Williams, who is a member of the BLA Caucus, went a step further and sent another letter to Mr. Hikind co-signed by seven other Council members and Karim Camara, chairman of the minority caucus in the State Assembly. That letter also called for Mr. Hikind to make a "sincere public apology" and meet with community leaders.

"Your costume is offensive to a significant segment of this borough for its connection to the sordid history of blackface in American theater. People associate blackface with offensive African-American stereotypes popularized in minstrel shows and vaudeville, stereotypes such as laziness, stupidity and cowardice. In fact, this same art form negatively depicted other communities, including the bigoted portrayal of Jews as corrupt and conniving," the letter said. Not only have you appeared publicly in blackface, you have offered an initially fierce defense of your actions, declaring on your blog that 'this is political correctness to the absurd.' This is a disconcerting response, especially when we consider that on multiple occasions you have come out to loudly defend the Jewish community against real and perceived indignities."

Dov Hikind and his family in their Purim costumes. (Photo: Facebook)

Assemblyman Karim Camara, chairman of the New York State Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus, is "deeply shocked and outraged" by his fellow lawmaker Dov Hikind's "black basketball player" Purim costume. In his statement on the costume, Mr. Camara described it as "insensitive," compared it to the "blackface minstrel show" and demanded an apology.

"I am deeply shocked and outraged by the insensitive actions of Assemblyman Hikind, to dress as a black basketball player complete with tanned skin and an Afro wig," Mr. Camara said. "We, as leaders have to be extremely careful that we foster understanding amongst our different cultural groups and not use the images of one as a tool for humor. In speaking with many African Americans both leaders and average citizens, the outrage is widespread."

Mr. Camara compared Mr. Hikind's costume to stereotypical "blackface minstrels" that were once common in this country.

"The history of the blackface minstrel show is something deeply painful in the African American community. It brings back the memories of African Americans being reduced to 'buffoonery' just to gain access to the entertainment industry," he said. "The stereotypes embodied in blackface minstrels have played a significant role in cementing and proliferating racist images, attitudes and perceptions, which are still painful and offensive today."

Mr. Hikind has dismissed the criticism of his costume as "Political Correctness to the Absurd." However, Mr. Camara said, at a minimum, Mr. Hikind should offer an apology to anyone he offended.

"I find the actions of the Assemblyman to be callous and repugnant," said Mr. Camara. "At the very least, an apology should be issued to those who found his portrayal objectionable."

Mr. Camara isn't the only local lawmaker who has spoken out against Mr. Hikind's Purim getup. Councilman David G. Greenfield, who represents the Boro Park neighborhood along with Mr. Hikind, told Gothamist he disagreed with the Assemblyman's defense of the costume.

"He should've known better," Mr. Greenfield said.

Councilman Charles Barron told the Daily News Mr. Hikind's justifications for the outfit were "a bunch of crap."

“It is racist," said Mr. Barron. "He is trying to justify his racism."

Mr. Barron continued by saying Mr. Hikind should have used a different strategy if he wanted an outlandish Purim costume.

"If he wanted to find somebody who [looked] strange, wild and crazy, he should look in the mirror," Mr. Barron said. "He didn’t have to pick on us."