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ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Gov. Andrew Cuomo says he can't be blamed for the corruption charges that prompted state Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver to resign any more than President Barack Obama can be blamed for former Rep. Anthony Weiner's sexting scandal.
The governor says in a profile in The New Yorker published online Monday the charges against Silver relate to the acts of an individual legislator.
The Democratic governor defended his decision to disband a commission investigating government corruption, saying in that exchange lawmakers passed modest ethics reforms and prosecutors obtained the commission's files anyway.
Cuomo told the magazine that he bears no responsibility for the acts Silver is accused of committing.
"If Anthony Weiner shows his private parts, do you blame Obama?" Cuomo said. "These are criminal acts of individual legislators. What would you have me do?"
Silver is accused of taking nearly $4 million in kickbacks and payoffs. The Manhattan Democrat resigned as speaker last week but is keeping his Assembly seat and has said he expects to be exonerated.
Weiner admitted sending explicit photos to women and resigned from Congress in 2011.
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