New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) used his security detail for personal reasons, and he cost the city more than $300,000 during his failed run for president that he has failed to reimburse, an investigation has concluded.
The New York City Department of Investigation said in a report released Thursday that the mayor used his security detail for personal reasons, including to help his daughter move to Gracie Mansion, The New York Times reports. That was a "misuse of NYPD resources for a personal benefit," the report said. It also found that the NYPD's Executive Protection Unit on numerous occasions "transported mayoral staffers to various locations, including to their homes, and assisted them in running errands for the mayor."
Additionally, the report said that during the mayor's unsuccessful run for president in 2019, the city spent nearly $320,000 for his security detail to travel with him on campaign trips, and de Blasio hasn't reimbursed the city. This reflected a "use of NYPD resources for political purposes," the investigation said.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
De Blasio's office was highly critical of the report's findings, telling The New York Times that "civilian investigators" should not make these determinations.
"This unprofessional report purports to do the NYPD's job for them, but with none of the relevant expertise — and without even interviewing the official who heads intelligence for the city," the mayor's office said. "As a result, we are left with an inaccurate report, based on illegitimate assumptions and a naïve view of the complex security challenges facing elected officials today."
The investigation's conclusion comes a day after a report said de Blasio has been privately telling people that he plans to run for governor of New York next year.
-
Japan poised to get first woman prime ministerSpeed Read The ruling Liberal Democratic Party elected former Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi
-
The 5 best mob movies of all timeThe Week Recommends If you don’t like a good gangster flick, just fuhgeddaboudit
-
Israel and Hamas meet on hostages, Trump’s planSpeed Read Hamas accepted the general terms of Trump’s 20-point plan, including the release of all remaining hostages
-
Judge bars Trump’s National Guard moves in OregonSpeed Read In an emergency hearing, a federal judge blocked President Donald Trump from sending National Guard troops into Portland
-
Museum head ousted after Trump sword gift denialSpeed Read Todd Arrington, who led the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, denied the Trump administration a sword from the collection as a gift for King Charles
-
Trump declares ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartelsspeed read This provides a legal justification for recent lethal military strikes on three alleged drug trafficking boats
-
Supreme Court rules for Fed’s Cook in Trump feudSpeed Read Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook can remain in her role following Trump’s attempts to oust her
-
Judge rules Trump illegally targeted Gaza protestersSpeed Read The Trump administration’s push to arrest and deport international students for supporting Palestine is deemed illegal
-
Trump: US cities should be military ‘training grounds’Speed Read In a hastily assembled summit, Trump said he wants the military to fight the ‘enemy within’ the US
-
US government shuts down amid health care standoffSpeed Read Democrats said they won’t vote for a deal that doesn’t renew Affordable Care Act health care subsidies
-
YouTube to pay Trump $22M over Jan. 6 expulsionSpeed Read The president accused the company of censorship following the suspension of accounts post-Capitol riot
