State Attorney General Vows To Collect Sex Harassment Fine From Vito Lopez

ALBANY, N.Y. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- New York state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman on Tuesday vowed to ``take all appropriate action'' to compel former Assemblyman Vito Lopez to pay a $330,000 penalty for allegedly groping and intimidating female staff members.

The promise from a Schneiderman spokesman came after a state Supreme Court justice on Monday ruled in favor Schneiderman and dismissed Lopez's claims that he was denied due process.

Lopez had been ordered to pay a fine of $330,000 by the Legislative Ethics Commission after it determined that Lopez had violated ethics rules 33 times.

The once-powerful Brooklyn Democrat was accused of harassing young female staffers in a 2012 scandal. Lopez, who resigned in 2013, continues to deny that he mistreated the women.

Attempts to reach his attorney on Tuesday were unsuccessful.

Taxpayers are on the hook for $545,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by two former Lopez staffers.

After resigning from the Assembly, Lopez ran for a seat in the New York City Council in 2013 but lost to Antonio Reynoso.

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