Silver's release from prison splits Albany lawmakers PUBLISHED 6:37 PM ET May. 04, 2021 PUBLISHED 6:37 PM EDT May. 04, 2021 SHARE Former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver is back home in Manhattan after serving less than a year of a prison sentence set to last until 2026. His release has split lawmakers in a Capitol he once ruled with little question for a generation in state government. On the one hand, some lawmakers wanted to see Silver remain in prison, a sign that even after leaving office more than five years ago, the former speaker remains a lightning rod. But other lawmakers called for compassion amid word of Silver's failing health and during a pandemic.