New York City’s Conflicts of Interest Board fined former Mayor Bill de Blasio just over $475,000 for using local police as security during his failed presidential campaign.
According to the city’s ethics watchdog, the former mayor had local law enforcement officials accompany the Democrat on dozens of campaign trips he took out of state in 2019. “Respondent had the City pay the travel expenses for an NYPD [New York Police Department] security detail to accompany Respondent or his spouse on 31 out-of-state trips in connection with his presidential campaign,” reported the board, which also had already warned de Blasio that using city officials for his presidential campaign would be a violation of the law.
The board determined that the officers’ accompaniment cost city taxpayers more than $300,000, so the board determined that the former mayor should pay the amount spent plus $155,000 for the 31 ethics law violations he committed during each trip he made.
“(It is) the largest fine in the history of the board,” reported Board Chairman Milton Williams.
Ex-NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio hit with historic $475K fine for misusing NYPD as security during failed presidential bid https://t.co/UG2bQnlIOJ pic.twitter.com/5sqNfVKJ6L
— New York Post (@nypost) June 15, 2023
The former mayor must pay the full amount of the fine within the next 30 days. However, Bill de Blasio’s lawyer reported that he is trying to appeal the decision to the Manhattan Supreme Court since, according to him, all mayors are entitled to protection.
“Every mayor faces threats (...) That’s why the NYPD is charged with determining what level of protection is necessary for such officials, when, and how,” he said.
