“There appear to be many different inputs, to some extent in conflict,” he told DOI investigators. He acknowledged that the COIB had advised him to reimburse the taxpayers, but he then claimed that he’d received conflicting advice on this. ‘Many Different Inputs’ĭe Blasio’s NYPD detail headaches began last October when then-DOI Commissioner Margaret Garnett released the results of a monthslong investigation into the mayor’s use of the detail for non-governmental activities - particularly during his five-month run for the presidency in 2019.Īt the time, de Blasio fired back at Garnett, challenging her findings and insisting that his campaign did not need to pay for the detail because it was an acceptable expense. Neal Kwatra, a spokesperson for his congressional campaign, followed up later in an email to say he’d need more time to research the issue before answering. Three years after receiving COIB’s letter, the former mayor has yet to pay a dime.ĭe Blasio did not respond to a voice message left by THE CITY early Thursday asking about the straightforward declaration from COIB and his decision to disregard it. De Blasio is currently one of more than a dozen candidates running for Congress in the 10th Congressional District. In explaining his decision to de Blasio, Briffault noted federal campaign finance rules would require a federal candidate to repay a government for the use of governmental resources as part of a campaign.
Members and sponsors make THE CITY possible. Rather these costs must be paid for or reimbursed by the Mayor’s campaign committee.” “ All other costs associated with such personal campaign travel - including but not limited to airfare, rental cars, overnight accommodations, meals and other reasonable incidental expenses - must not be borne by the City. “The City may pay for only the salary and/or overtime of the NYPD personnel on such a campaign trip,” Briffault wrote.
#Bill de blasio how to
The clarity of this instruction is revealed in a letter obtained by THE CITY via the Freedom of Information Law, signed by then-COIB Chairperson Richard Briffault to de Blasio’s City Hall counsel, Kapil Longani.īriffault’s advice on how to avoid violating city conflict rules is unambiguous: He also maintained he had “never received any contradictory guidance” on the use of the detail.īut a day before he announced his bid for the White House, he did receive explicit advice from the Conflicts of Interest Board (COIB) informing him in no uncertain terms that he must pay back the city for the use of the detail on the campaign trail.
Last fall the city Department of Investigation released a damning report declaring that then-Mayor Bill de Blasio needed to reimburse the taxpayers $320,000 for the cost of bringing his NYPD detail along during his quixotic and ultimately failed quest for the White House.Īt the time, the mayor questioned DOI’s findings, claimed there were “inaccuracies” in the report, and insisted he was simply following the advice of the NYPD.
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