De Blasio Improperly 'Hit Up' Donors Despite Warnings: NYT Report

New York City NY

09 December, 2021

9:54 AM

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NEW YORK CITY — Mayor Bill de Blasio on multiple occasions violated New York City ethics laws by reaching out directly to donors who had direct business with the city despite being warned that his actions created an appearance he was acting inappropriately, according to documents obtained for a scathing new published report. The report appeared Thursday in the New York Times after a years-long behind-the-scenes battle between the paper and city officials over records between de Blasio and donors. The Times ultimately prevailed and shed light on records the mayor sought to keep secret. The files cast an unflattering portrait of de Blasio, who "continued to hit up" well-connected donors as he sought to fund a now-defunct not-for-profit that raised more than $4 million from various sources. The requests for money for The Campaign for One New York were made in direct violation of a city ban — a finding kept hidden from the public by de Blasio and his administration, The Times reported. Documents show de Blasio secured funds for the non-profit from people who directly were involved in city business, the paper found. The mayor has been the target of numerous investigations into his fundraising tactics, The Times reported and yet prosecutors never filed charges despite some of the donors who contributed to the mayor's not-for-profit being fined by the New York Joint Commission on Public Ethics, the newspaper found. The report included secret letters sent to the mayor which informed him he was violating ethics laws by targeting the donors he did to advance his cause. Danielle Filson, the mayor's spokeswoman, said in a written statement to The Times that "the calls the mayor was making at this time were to support affordable housing legislation and his effort to achieve universal pre-K for every child in New York City, which is now a national model. "He has consistently acted in good faith and followed the process set out for him," she added. "The board closed these cases and determined no enforcement action was necessary." Read the full New York Times report here.