NEW YORK
New York Daily News

By Kenneth Lovett AND Glenn Blain / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

ALBANY — State investigators are now going after Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver as they dig deeper into the Vito Lopez case.

The Joint Commission on Public Ethics — which had been criticized for limiting its probe to allegations of sexual harassment made against Assemblyman Lopez — approved on Monday an expanded investigation that will include Silver’s handling of a $103,000 taxpayer-funded settlement with two victims, sources said.

Following a closed-door meeting of JCOPE’s board, Chairwoman Janet DiFiore announced its unanimous decision to launch a “substantial” probe. She refused to provide details, but a source said the panel would conduct a “sweeping investigation that will go where it leads.”