Ninety minutes before his plea, and just as the County Legislature began its first session of the year, Holt requested a private moment with the 14 other lawmakers to apologize and to insist he will remain in office.
"I must make it clear that there is nothing in this plea that I will enter - or in the investigation by the district attorney - that reflects negatively on my performance in the duties of this Legislature," he said, reading from a prepared statement.
"I am sorry if I have offended or let anyone down in their expectations of me," he added. "I always have served sincerely with both heart and mind."
Because the Erie County Charter does not call for the removal of a legislator convicted of a crime, Holt can remain in office, collecting his salary of $42,588 a year. Prosecutors did not insist that he resign as a condition of his plea before State Supreme Court Justice Richard C. Kloch Sr.
Emphasis mine. Why in the heck do we not have the ability to remove legislators? After County Executive Joel Giambra messed up the Erie County budget, we learned there was no way to impeach or remove officials, now we learned even if they are guilty of a crime, they can still serve? I wonder if the Democratic super-majority in the Erie County legislature can make changes.
