Gotham Gazette

The Place for New York Policy and politics

CITY

City

Hearing Advances Reforms to City Campaign Finance System


kallos computer

Council Member Ben Kallos (photo: William Alatriste)


As Mayor Bill de Blasio is mired in controversy over his fundraising activities and proximity to lobbyists, the City Council is moving on bills to reduce the possibility of ‘pay-to-play’ campaign financing and make significant tweaks to strengthen an already-robust public-matching system.

The Council’s Committee on Governmental Operations held a hearing on Monday to examine a package of eight bills that would reform campaign finance rules and improve the city’s public matching funds program, which, though it has some critics, is often held up as a national model.

The bills, introduced in November, aim to implement recommendations made by the New York City Campaign Finance Board (NYCCFB) after the 2013 city election cycle. Perhaps most notably, the bills would eliminate public matching funds for contributions bundled by people who do business with the city, provide earlier public matching funds to candidates, and improve disclosure requirements for companies or people that own entities that do business with the city.

Council Member Ben Kallos, chair of the committee and prime sponsor of three of the bills, was particularly concerned about Intro. 985-A, his proposal to limit the influence of bundlers.

“I think it’s a matter of the public who want their voices to be louder than those of special interests to let their elected officials know that they need to sign on to this bill and they need to bring it to the floor of the Council,” Kallos told Gotham Gazette after the hearing.

Kallos got a boost during the hearing when Council Member David Greenfield asked to be added as a sponsor to the bill. The next step will be to drum up support from other Council members and, most importantly, Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito before the bills can be voted through committee and head to the full Council. The process is still in its initial stages as the committee took expert testimony Monday, Greenfield would become just the fourth Council member, of 51, to sponsor 985-A.

Almost everyone who testified seemed to acknowledge that 985-A and Intro. 986, the early matching funds bill, were the more significant proposals. A number of good government groups also came out in support of the entire legislative package.

Prudence Katze, research and policy manager for Common Cause New York, commended the city and the campaign finance board for progress administering “accessible” and “clean” local elections. “But, we still have many ways to improve and the bills before the Council today all go towards plugging the holes that still exist,” she said.

Dick Dadey, executive director of Citizens Union, also backed all the bills, but said 985-A was possibly the most “meaningful” and should be the Council’s number one priority. “It’s a common sense, much-needed piece of legislation, even more so given the rising scandals, the growing crime wave of corruption we see here in Albany that now seems to have reached down into New York City,” Dadey said.

Campaign Finance Board reps strongly praised all the bills, albeit calling for the early matching funds bill to only go into effect after the 2017 elections so that all involved in the program can be properly prepared. Kallos said he was willing to make this change. “City lawmakers have regularly refreshed and updated the [campaign finance] program,” said Amy Loprest, executive director, NYCCFB, “ensuring it stays relevant as city campaigns and elections evolve.”

Loprest also listed a number of measures the board has recently initiated to improve the system, including the implementation of an online contribution platform to help donors comply with campaign finance regulations, improved disclosure software, increased candidate trainings, and timely enforcement.

“The bills before the committee today will help modernize the program,” Loprest said. “They will remove outdated or unnecessary requirements the law imposes on campaigns, help candidates better plan their campaigns, and importantly, they will strengthen the law’s protections against the influence of pay-to-play.”

In a sign that the legislative package is likely to move forward, Henry Berger, special counsel to Mayor de Blasio, expressed the administration’s support for the eight bills “with a few technical corrections.”

Berger noted, however, that the proposals do not address the CFB’s reliance on post-election auditing and enforcement procedures “which threaten the proper administration of public matching fund payments.” Noting that the CFB only started issuing audit reports for 2013 public fund recipients in May of 2015, he stated the administration’s interest in working with the Council on legislation to ensure that the CFB completes enforcement and payment determinations sooner in the election cycle. “Rather than piecemeal adjustments, the city needs a comprehensive overhaul to give every candidate a full and fair opportunity to respond to and resolve specific allegations in a timely manner before the election,” Berger said. “No candidate should be deprived of any public matching funds he or she has earned on the basis of unresolved allegations.”

The hearing also saw consideration of two resolutions, sponsored by Kallos, calling on the state Legislature to pass the Voter Empowerment Act (VEA) and a constitutional amendment that would establish no-excuse absentee voting in the state. The VEA is a joint effort by State Senator Michael Gianaris and Assemblymember Brian Kavanagh, who was at the hearing. The omnibus bill would provide automatic voter registration and online registration, and change the state’s deadlines for people to register and choose their party enrollment.   

When Kallos asked what the city could do to help push these bills in Albany, Kavanagh appealed to Council members to drum up public support and to urge their Assembly member to join his effort before the end of the legislative session in Albany on June 16. The CFB’s voter outreach arm, NYC Votes, is helping to lead a lobbying coalition to Albany on Tuesday in support of the VEA.

“Hope springs eternal,” said Kavanagh, pointing out the extra attention these issues have received because of the primary election day debacle. “What we need candidly is public pressure,” he added.

***
by Samar Khurshid, senior reporter, Gotham Gazette
     

Read more by this writer.

Note: Gotham Gazette is an independent publication of Citizens Union Foundation, sister organization of Citizens Union.

The Week Ahead in New York Politics, May 2


New York City Hall

New York City Hall


What to watch for this week in New York politics:

This week starts amid a swirl of controversy - there are several ongoing investigations into Mayor Bill de Blasio, his administration, his allies, and their fundraising practices; and, news broke Friday of ongoing investigations into associates of Gov. Andrew Cuomo, including his former top aide Joseph Percoco and others involved in the Buffalo Billion economic development project. It was previously known that U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara was investigating aspects of the Buffalo Billion, but Friday's news, first reported by The Daily News, shed more light.

Meanwhile, there is much anticipation ahead of de Blasio's expected trip to Albany on Wednesday to testify at a state Senate hearing on mayoral control of city schools. Mayoral control is due to expire at the end of June after it was extended for just one year at the end of last year's legislative session in Albany. De Blasio is expected to testify at both Wednesday's hearing and one later this month in New York City on May 19. The fact that de Blasio's 2014 efforts to flip the Senate to Democratic control are being investigated by law enforcement adds incredible context to the hearings.

Before that hearing, the two houses of the state Legislature are back in session Tuesday after a two-week break. There are a variety of issues of consequence for New York City, including mayoral control of schools, on the post-budget session docket - read our overview here. The session is set to end in mid-June. Related: Session Days Quickly Dwindle, Intensifying Worry Over Ethics.

Executive budget hearings also kick off this week at the New York City Council. De Blasio unveiled his $82.2 billion executive spending plan last week - news that was largely subsumed by developing news of investigations into the mayor's 2014 attempts to flip the Senate. Budget hearings start on Friday, a budget deal between de Blasio and the Council is due by the end of June - the new fiscal year begins July 1.

As always, there's a great deal happening all over the city, with many events to be aware of - see our day-by-day rundown below.

***Do you have events or topics for us to include in an upcoming Week Ahead in New York Politics?
E-mail Gotham Gazette editor Ben Max: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.***

The run of the week in detail:

Monday
At 8 a.m. Monday, Crain’s New York Business will host the “Crain’s Real Estate Conference: Building Solutions,” where real estate stakeholders will discuss the next stage in the development of the far west side and Hudson Yards and other issues important to the real estate industry. Speakers include U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer; President of the Real Estate Board of New York John Banks; Vicki Been, commissioner of the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development; and others.

At 9:15 a.m. Monday, Mayor de Blasio is scheduled to “appear live on Hot 97’s Ebro in the Morning to discuss Puerto Rico’s debt crisis and the Executive Budget,” according to his public schedule - which also notes timing is subject to change.

At 10:30 a.m. Monday, City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, Council Majority Leader Jimmy Van Bramer, and Council Member Daneek Miller host a tour of the Children’s Museum of Manhattan on “Muslim Cultures: Near and Far.”

Also at 10:30 a.m. Monday, schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña will attend an event for "Just Say Hi," a campaign to increase engagement with people with disabilities, at Beacon High School in Manhattan.

At 11 a.m. Monday, a coalition of elected officials and community groups will hold a press conference at City Hall to call for passage of the E-Impersonation Prevention Act, New York Senate Bill S5871-A, which seeks to punish cyberbullying perpetrators with jail time. Attendees will include state Senator Kevin Parker; social activist and former Miss New York Meaghan Jarensky; Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal; state Senator Persaud; City Councilmember Ritchie Torres; and others.

At 11:30 a.m. Monday, “Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and two Bronx Week 2016 honorees, actor Vincent Pastore and dance pioneer Eduardo Vilaro, will host a celebration of the “Best of The Bronx” to kickoff Bronx Week 2016...at Mike’s Deli in the Arthur Avenue Retail Market.”

At the City Council on Monday:

  • 1 p.m., the Subcommittee on Planning, Dispositions and Concessions will meet to address a land use application for the Socrates Sculpture Park in Queens.
  • 2 p.m., the Committee on Governmental Operations will meet to consider several bills aimed at reforming the city’s campaign finance system, including its public-matching program - read about the package of bills here. The committee will also vote to support the Voter Empowerment Act of New York and a constitutional amendment establishing no-excuse absentee voting.

At 6 p.m. Monday, Governor Cuomo will attend the 10th Annual Spirit of ABNY Awards, Rainbow Room, 30 Rockefeller Plaza.

At 6:30 p.m. Monday, the New York City Bar will host an event on “The Impact of Expanded Civil Legal Services on Low-Income New Yorkers,” which will explore how the recent expansion in civil legal services in the city will impact low-income New Yorkers, civil legal services providers, the courts, and members of the bar in general. Speakers include Steven Banks, commissioner of the city’s Human Resources Administration; Helaine M. Barnett, chair of the Permanent Commission on Access to Justice; Adriene Holder, attorney-in-charge of the Legal Aid Society Civil Practice; and others.

At 6:30 p.m. Monday, New America will hold an event, “Fast and Free: New York’s Vision for Public Wi-Fi Everywhere,” a conversation on the suite of communications initiatives and potential challenges to such initiatives. Speakers include Michael Calabrese, director of the Wireless Future Project, Maya Wiley, counsel to the mayor of NYC, and others.

On Monday evening, City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito will attend the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Gala.

Tuesday
Former state Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver is due to be sentenced on federal corruption charges Tuesday.

Both houses of the New York State Legislature are in session on Tuesday in Albany.

The Vote Better NY campaign and petition drive will be in Albany Tuesday to lobby lawmakers and deliver its change.org petition, which urges New York state legislators to adopt three key reform proposals: The Voter Empowerment Act to modernize voter registration systems, the Voter Friendly Ballot Act to create easier-to-read ballots, and early voting options for New Yorkers.

At 9 a.m. Tuesday, Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs will host a panel discussion, “Celebrating 100 Years of Jane Jacobs: Innovations in New York City’s Open Space,” featuring Leslie Koch, president of The Trust for Governors Island; Regina Myer, president of the Brooklyn Bridge Park Corporation; and Mitchell Silver, commissioner of the Department of Parks and Recreation. The event, coordinated with the Municipal Art Society of New York, is part of a series on urbanism and Jane Jacobs’ legacy.

At the City Council on Tuesday:

  • 9:45 a.m., the Committee on Public Safety will meet to vote on several resolutions, including on Nicholas’ Law to improve gun safety, the Public Safety and Second Amendment Rights Protection Act of 2015, a law requiring law enforcement to implement evidence-based eyewitness identification procedures and recording of custodial interrogations, in order to safeguard against wrongful convictions, and others.
  • 10 a.m., the Committee on Oversight and Investigations, jointly with the Committee on Public Safety, will meet on several bills, including a bill establishing an office of crime victim services, a bill establishing an office of reentry services for individuals released from incarceration, and a bill requiring the Police Department to maintain an early intervention system that is used to identify police officers whom may be in need of enhanced training or monitoring.
  • 10 a.m., the Committee on Waterfronts will meet on a bill expanding the role of the waterfront management advisory board.
  • 1 p.m., the Committee on Civil Rights will meet to vote on a resolution recognizing March 5 as “Three-Fifths Clause Awareness Day” to be officially observed each year in New York City, and a resolution calling upon Congress to add an amendment to the Constitution directly negating the language of the “three-fifths clause.”
  • 1 p.m., the Committee on Technology will meet on a bill allowing the online submission of city business permits, licenses, and applications.

At 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, City Council Member Laurie Cumbo will hold a town hall to discuss a proposed bill to impose a five cent fee on all plastic and paper bags; members of the community are welcomed to discuss the implications of the proposed bill, to hear from advocates both in support of and opposing the bill, and to ask questions - Ingersoll Community Center, Brooklyn.

Wednesday
Both houses of the New York State Legislature are in session on Wednesday in Albany.

At 10 a.m. Wednesday, the Senate Standing Committee on Education will hold a public hearing to examine the merits of extending mayoral control of schools in New York City. The hearing will take place in the Legislative Office Building in Albany and Mayor de Blasio is expected to be among those to testify.

At the City Council on Wednesday:

  • 9:30 a.m., the Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises will meet to address a land use application to allow increased retail uses in existing public plazas and arcades in Manhattan.
  • 10 a.m., the Committee on Housing and Buildings will meet on several bills, including one to amend local law in respect to the eviction of elderly tenants; a bill to amend the definition of harassment to include the illegal conversion of dwelling units; and a bill requiring the Department of Housing Preservation and Development to provide tenants with disabilities with information about legal services when such tenants are facing eviction.
  • 10 a.m., the Committee on Fire and Criminal Justice Services will meet on two bills, one requiring the Department of Probation to evaluate the effectiveness of its programming, and another requiring the same department to issue a yearly, public report on recidivism.
  • 11 a.m., the Committee on Land Use will meet to vote on a resolution designating the Riegelmann Boardwalk in Coney Island as a scenic landmark.
  • 1 p.m., the Committee on Consumer Affairs will meet one a bill requiring the licensing of solicitation by costumed individuals providing entertainment in public spaces.
  • 1 p.m., the Committee on Small Businesses will meet on a bill requiring the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications to notify a business when a city has received a complaint about its operation.
  • 1 p.m., the Committee on Cultural Affairs, Libraries and International Intergroup Relations will meet for an oversight hearing on the Art and Culture as a Catalyst for Political and Social Change organization.

At 6:30 p.m., the New York City Bar will hold an event on “The Future of Veterans Treatment Courts in New York City,” to discuss the establishment of Veterans Treatment Courts in NYC, and the impact they may have on the city’s veterans and criminal justice system. Panelists include Hon. Jo Ann Ferdinand, who presides over the Brooklyn Veterans Treatment Court; Hon. Marcia Hirsch, who presides over the Queens Veterans Treatment Court; and Loree Sutton, commissioner of the newly created New York City Department of Veterans’ Services.

Thursday
Both houses of the New York State Legislature are in session on Thursday in Albany.

At the City Council on Thursday: 1:30 p.m., the City Council will hold a stated meeting. It will be prefaced, as usual, by a pre-stated press conference led by Council Speaker Mark-Viverito.

At 9 a.m. Thursday, the New York City Bar will hold an event on “The Future of Affordable Housing in New York City 2016 (an update),” which will provide an inside perspective on the real estate industry and affordable housing in New York City. Speakers will focus on the evolution of as well as changes to affordable housing programs and tax incentive programs since the last program in May 2015.

On Thursday, there will be arguments in New York State Supreme Court in the lawsuit being brought by Success Academy charter schools and parents against New York City over pre-K program funding. The de Blasio administration has refused to provide public funding to Success Academy pre-K programs because the network has not signed up for the oversight that the city has required of all programs receiving public funds.

At 7:30 a.m. Thursday, The New York Women’s Foundation will host a “Celebrating Women Breakfast,” which will feature Tory Burch, CEO and designer at Tory Burch; Elizabeth Sackler, founder of the Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art; and the Young Women’s Initiative, which was started by City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and aims to invest in young women of color.

Friday and the weekend
At 10 a.m. on Friday, the Assembly Standing Committee on Energy, jointly with the Assembly Standing Committee on Economic Development, Job Creation, Commerce and Industry will hold a public hearing to discuss potential obstacles to net-metering for residents and businesses. The hearing will take place at 250 Broadway in New York City.

At the City Council on Friday: 10 a.m., the Committee on Finance will kick off executive budget hearings, joined by the Committee on Recovery and Resiliency at noon.

At 6 p.m. on Friday, Chancellor of the state Board of Regents Betty Rosa will speak about her vision to transform New York public schools at a forum co-sponsored by Class Size Matters, CEC 6 and the Youth and Education Committee of CB12M, at George Washington Educational Campus. Investigative reporter Juan Gonzalez will moderate.

***
Have events or topics for us to include in an upcoming Week Ahead in New York Politics? E-mail Gotham Gazette executive editor Ben Max any time:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (please use "For Week Ahead" as email subject).

***
by Kelly Fan and Ben Max
@GothamGazette

Vance Has Ties to Several in De Blasio Probe


vance de blasio bratton presser

Cy Vance (front) and Bill de Blasio (photo via The Mayor's Office on flickr)


Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance finds himself in a unique situation as he takes on the investigation of efforts led by Mayor Bill de Blasio to win control of the state Senate for Democrats in 2014.

Vance has a longstanding political relationship with de Blasio and both share a number of donors. Like de Blasio, Vance is an elected Democrat. They’ve stood together for several policy announcements over the past two-plus years since de Blasio took office as Mayor.

Perhaps the most notable and concerning connection to some is that Vance has also employed two of the political strategy groups subpoenaed in the investigation spurred by the state Board of Elections enforcement counsel, Risa Sugarman, who found problems with the unsuccessful 2014 efforts by de Blasio and his allies to win key swing Senate seats. Specifically, Sugarman pointed to ways in which de Blasio’s allies attempted to evade state campaign donation limits.

City officials confirmed on Wednesday that “City Hall” had been subpoenaed, but said that the mayor himself had not been named. The subpoenas, de Blasio’s counsel said, were from both Vance and U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara. De Blasio has repeatedly insisted that neither he nor his team broke any laws.

As New Yorkers await more information from Vance’s investigation, his political relationship with de Blasio is part of a complicated picture. The two have given support for each other or issued joint statements in at least eight announcements over the past three years. They’ve held at least three joint press conferences and Vance’s office works closely on a day-to-day basis with de Blasio’s police department. Topics Vance and de Blasio have worked on together include prosecutions of bankers, funding to examine rape kits, an overhaul of the city’s summons system, and efforts to get illegal guns off the street.

“The Manhattan District Attorney's Office is an independent agency from the Mayor’s Office, and has frequently conducted investigations and prosecuted cases involving city agencies or employees. We cannot comment on what private firm may or may not have received subpoenas,” Joan Vollero, Vance’s director of communications, told Gotham Gazette in a statement.

People who know the two well stress that Vance and de Blasio are not particularly close personally and note that the mayor has also made joint announcements with Bharara. The U.S. Attorney, who has made rooting out public corruption a mission, made waves earlier this month, telling a crowd, “We will keep looking hard at corruption in our legislative branch, as we have been. But not just there: in the executive branch too, both in city and in state government.”

Meanwhile, state Board of Elections records show Vance’s connection to two firms included in the BOE referral to law enforcement. Filings show Vance’s campaign paid Mark Guma Communications $1,327,351 from 2009 to 2013 for television and radio advertising, political mailers, and consulting.

Mark Guma Communications was subpoenaed by Sugarman in her investigation into what she described as de Blasio’s team’s efforts to intentionally evade campaign finance laws by funnelling donor cash into county committees, which have larger contribution limits, and out to candidate campaigns, which have much lower limits. A subpoena does not indicate charges or guilt.

Vance’s campaign also did business with Red Horse Strategies, which was also subpoenaed in Sugarman’s investigation, to the amount of $25,000 in 2009.

Both firms assisted Democratic Senate candidates in the 2014 election cycle.

To some, these connections simply show the close-knit nature of New York politics, but to others they present reason for Vance to recuse himself in the de Blasio-related investigation.

“Cy Vance seems to be a very straightforward guy,” said Jennifer Rodgers, former assistant U.S. Attorney and current executive director of the Center For The Advancement of Public Integrity (CAPI) at Columbia University. “In the case of any personal involvement I believe he’d be the first to recuse himself. In the absence any personal involvement the fact that New York City politics turns out to be this weird incestuous pool with everyone working with the same consultants says nothing of the independence of Cy Vance.”

John Kaehny, executive director of Reinvent Albany, said he believes the connections are a good reason for Vance to disassociate himself from the case. “Given the sweeping breadth of the investigation into areas touching DA Vance's own political activity - at least two of his own political consultants were subpoenaed - Vance should welcome a complete takeover of the investigation by Preet Bharara,” Kaehny told Gotham Gazette.

Dick Dadey, executive director of Citizens Union, said it was “unsurprising” that de Blasio and Vance used the same political strategists but said it is important Vance proceed “appropriately” and with “integrity.”

Sugarman’s report states:

“Documents were obtained via subpoena from five political consultants involved in these campaigns: Berlin Rosen, LTD., Mark Guma Communications, The Parkside Group LLC, AKPD Message and Media LLC, and Red Horse Strategies LLC. We sought information about work these consultants performed in connection with campaigns for the state senate races of Justin Wagner, Terry Gipson and Cecilia Tkaczyk. Thousands of documents were produced. Review of the documents revealed evidence of campaigns that were coordinated at every level and down to minute details.”

Long-time Board of Elections commissioner Douglas Kellner, a Democrat, said that it was Sugarman who suggested referring the de Blasio case to Vance and that he and other commissioners concurred. “I think he’s very capable and I think he will evaluate this independently,” Kellner said of Vance. Kellner said he thought Vance was appropriate because “his office had two prior cases where he was having to argue that you have to look at the whole transaction, not just the parts.”

Multiple sources tell Gotham Gazette the vote to refer the case was unanimous among the board’s four commissioners, two of whom are Democrats, two of whom are Republicans.

One of Vance’s previous campaign finance cases was against Manhattan Surrogate Case Judge Nora Anderson. Anderson was charged with campaign finance fraud for reporting donations had come from herself when they had actually come her boss at the law firm that employed her. A jury acquitted her.

The other Vance case was that of Queens political consultant John Haggerty who was accused of bilking Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s campaign fund for hundreds of thousands of dollars to buy his family a house. Haggerty was convicted.

“One or two cases can make or break the career of a Manhattan District Attorney,” said Dadey. “It is integral that Cy Vance move forward with this case with the independence and fair mindedness he is known for. These charges against the mayor are serious. It’s clear that his team skated close to the line of the law, if not over it. It will be up to the prosecutor and judicial system to decide whether a law was broken.”

Vance is treading in fairly new territory as thousands of past referrals from the BOE were ignored by other district attorneys from around the state due to what they have said was a dearth of detailed information or a lack of resources to pursue them.

“There is a big difference between the Manhattan DA and the Albany DA,” Rodgers, of CAPI, told Gotham Gazette. “There are a lot more resources going to the public corruption unit in Manhattan. The lack of cases is a shame, but it is partially due to resources and partially due to the quality of investigations. If Sugarman is doing more referrals that are wrapped in a bow and the DA just has to bring it, it may become easier for any DA to act.”

A New York Daily News report from August 2013 detailed how the Albany County District Attorney failed to act on around 1,300 referrals from the Board of Elections. At that time the board referred campaign finance violations to district attorneys with jurisdiction, but with little to no prior investigation.

“I can see a DA saying ‘Thanks for the complaint but we don't have two detectives to put on this,” said Rodgers. “In Albany, violent crime has to be a priority. Public corruption cases are usually hard cases that take a long time, a lot of expertise and are fairly complicated.”

However, since Sugarman was confirmed in 2014 to fill the newly created enforcement counsel position, it appears she has abandoned the previous process of fining candidates that don’t file and instead dug into violations of the law she thinks will make good cases. Sugarman did not return request for comment.

“Risa Sugarman dismantled the process by which committees who didn’t do filings were routinely fined,” said Kellner. “She doesn't agree it’s appropriate for her do that, but my concern is that campaigns will catch on and realize there is no consequence for failing to file.”

As for Vance, Dadey said he believes all of New York City will be looking to the DA to deliver a fair and strong investigation, and if necessary a case. “The spotlight will be on this DA like it hasn’t been since the Dominique Strauss-Kahn case, which was not handled well,” Dadey said. “Perhaps even more so because of the high profile of the Mayor of New York City...Hopefully the DA has learned from his early mistakes and will proceed with the independence and competence he is known for.”

***
by David King, Albany editor, Gotham Gazette
     

Read more by this writer.

Note: Gotham Gazette is an independent publication of Citizens Union Foundation, sister organization of Citizens Union.



Print Friendly and PDF

Editor's Choice


Gotham Gazette: New York Voters Approve $4.2 Billion Environmental Bond Act
New York Voters Approve $4.2 Billion Environmental Bond Act
Gotham Gazette: 
New York City Voters Approve Racial Justice Ballot Measures
New York City Voters Approve Racial Justice Ballot Measures
Gotham Gazette: 
Housing Development in New York City Slows to a Crawl as Officials Debate Tax Incentives
Housing Development in New York City Slows to a Crawl as Officials Debate Tax Incentives
Gotham Gazette: 
City Council Examines Low Voter Turnout, Moving Local Elections to Even Years City Council Examines Low Voter Turnout, Moving Local Elections to Even Years