Assemblyman Rejects That There's a 'Culture of Corruption' in Albany

Many political observers hope this week's guilty verdict in the federal corruption trial of former New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver will finally signal change in Albany. Until now, it's been difficult to enact lasting ethics reform, despite a series of similar convictions over the last few years.

Assemblyman Michael Blake is a first-term Democrat from the Bronx who's hoping to push for meaningful reform. He said he wants to "break the mindset that there is a culture of corruption" in the state capitol.

"There is not a culture of corruption in Albany. There are individuals who made very bad mistakes," he said. "However, the collective overall, the majority of the individuals that are there are serving you and serving you well."

In this interview, WNYC's Jami Floyd talks with Blake about moving forward after the Silver verdict.