Marc Gronich’s front-page description regarding Sheldon Silver’s death last week (“Former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver Niftar at Age 77,” January 27, 2022) was extremely unnecessary. While Gronich did much to uphold Silver’s name, he did not go into reporting on his crimes and the private damage he did to family members, according to documents filed with District Judge Valerie Caproni. What’s more, it failed to report on the financial crimes of others in his ambit, and his role in keeping lots on the Lower East Side undeveloped for much of his decades in power.

“I thought I was pretty good at it, and I think we helped a lot of people,” Silver said at sentencing, “but I destroyed that legacy.” Silver may have performed well at times, but he ultimately brought shame to his office. You may have used the elusive “niftar,” but Silver died, likely as a broken man, in a hospital prison, and further dedications to his name will fortunately elude him.