Rules clearly bar de Blasio from ordering cops to help with daughter's apartment move

[left-of-center2012]

City conflict of interest rules clearly bar Mayor de Blasio and his family from ordering police detectives to help move Chiara de Blasio out of an apartment in Brooklyn, ethics experts told the Daily News. City law says it is a violation of the city charter “for any public servant to use City letterhead, personnel, equipment, resources, or supplies for any non-City purpose.” The News reported Sunday that de Blasio ordered members of his security detail to help his daughter with the move, which sources said was carried out under cover of night.

A former high-ranking official with the city Conflicts of Interest board batted down the excuse de Blasio spokeswoman Freddi Goldstein offered to the New York Times — that the involvement of the officers was “strictly voluntary.”
“Volunteering is completely irrelevant,” said the former board official, who asked for anonymity. “If they volunteered, it can’t be on city time.”

Good government advocate Susan Lerner, executive director of Common Cause New York, called for a probe of the incident.

“You are prohibited from using your office for private gain, either for yourself, a family member or your business,” the former official said. “You’re also prohibited from using city resources or personnel for any non-city purpose.”

NYPD spokesman Phil Walzak said Thursday the move of Chiara de Blasio’s belongings from her former basement apartment in Sunset Park to Gracie Mansion was investigated by Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence and Counterterrorism John Miller, who determined “that no improper conduct or inappropriate use of department resources occurred.” Walzak earlier this week suggested to the Times that asking cops to haul Chiara de Blasio’s personal effects was more practical than hiring movers who would have had to undergo a background check before being allowed into Gracie Mansion.

https://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/ny-metro-de-blasio-daughter-move-20190809-t5c5afnugvhcxdbms42egyg35y-story.html

[LuvNewcastle]

1. He should have offered to pay them extra out of his pocket.

It should have been clear to him that police officers aren't hired by the city to move the mayor's relatives around. If they wanted to do the work for his payment, that's their business.

[virgogal]

2. As long as they weren't on duty,who cares?

[msongs]

3. who believes they were not pressured into doing this nt

[Sapient Donkey]

4. It may not have been. Who knows, maybe they were happy to do it or maybe even offered.

They may have also been pressured. Either way, it seems so stupid to do this. Hiring movers and putting them through the background check is small headache compared to having to defend and justify it. They had to have known this would happen if it came to light.