De Blasio spent money from the New York budget on his personal needs and the presidential campaign: the findings of the investigation

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio abused security to aid his presidential campaign and transport his children, according to a City Department of Investigation (DOI) investigation. The edition told in more detail Politico.

DOI published a report, which details the many incidents in which the security service of the mayor of New York has been misused for political or personal purposes.

Investigators said their two-year investigation revealed "potential violations of the New York City Conflict of Interest Act, corruption and inefficient use of resources."

The New York City Police Department assigned to guard de Blasio traveled with him around the country, transporting him during the 2019 presidential campaign, although city regulations restrict the use of official vehicles for political travel in and around New York City.

NYPD spent $ 319 on travel for de Blasio's security personnel outside NYC - expenses for flights, hotels, rental cars, gasoline and food. Neither de Blasio personally nor his campaign returned the money. The figure only takes into account travel expenses, not overtime and salaries paid to officers during campaign trips.

Several cops and a NYPD sprint van were deployed to assist de Blasio's daughter, Chiara, when she moved from her Sunset Park apartment back to her parents' home at Gracie's mansion.

They also drove Dante de Blasio back and forth to Yale University several times without the mayor or his wife, Chirlaine McCray, present, investigators found. And for months in 2019 and 2020, after Dante graduated from college and returned to Gracie's mansion, he was driven to work in Brooklyn every day.

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Investigators said New York City Police Inspector Howard Redmond obstructed the investigation. For several months, he refused to hand over his office phone number, deliberately concealed it after being told to hand it over, and deleted the messages. He also gave testimony in DOI interviews, which is not credible.

DOI Commissioner Margaret Garnett said City Hall has no clear policy on how the service should be used.

“Quite frankly, this is just an invitation to corruption and waste of public resources,” she said.

De Blasio criticized the report.

“I am literally shocked by the amount of inaccuracies in this report,” de Blasio told reporters in a separate press conference.

His spokesman also criticized the investigation.

“Intelligence and security experts, not civilian investigators, should decide how to keep the mayor and his family safe,” Daniel Filson said in a statement.

“This unprofessional report pretends to do the work of the NYPD for them, but without relevant experience - and even without interviewing the official who leads the city's intelligence,” she said. “As a result, we received an inaccurate report based on inappropriate assumptions and a naive view of the complex security issues faced by elected officials today.”

Garnett dismissed the criticism.

“I don't think a mayor who is interested in an independent and effective DOI would say that,” she said.

According to his office, the mayor and members of his family receive frequent threats - during his tenure, 308 threats were recorded, including dozens that specifically mention his family.

DOI investigators found that security equipment was used to inspect de Blasio's homes in Brooklyn, where his family has not lived since 2014. At least one of the houses is used as an investment property with paying tenants.

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The service also provided services to the mayor's brother - picking him up from the airport, driving him in a Zipcar in New Jersey, and driving him to a car rental office.

They drove City Hall employees home or to other locations without de Blasio's presence on several occasions, including one incident where a City Hall employee and Redmond spent three hours in a Manhattan bar drinking while a service employee waited outside.

De Blasio has resisted reimbursing taxpayers for the travel expenses of his squad during the campaign. His lawyer challenged the Conflict of Interest Council's decision that he owed money, arguing that he should not be “forced to risk his life” and denied security.

But Garnett said the rules call for a refund, noting that other presidential candidates have hired private security or reimbursed expenses.

“When there are rules, they apply to everyone, including the mayor,” she said.

De Blasio had previously been criticized by the Federal Election Commission for fundraising during his presidential campaign, and it was found that before coming to power, he incorrectly solicited donations from the people.

The mayor argues that the use of officers to transport his children is appropriate because the NYPD has determined they are eligible for protection. But Chiara and Dante, as adults, gave up on security, and New York police officers were instead used without any security concerns as chauffeurs.

Although de Blasio was not sent for a criminal investigation, he faced fines from the city council for conflicts of interest.

“I always act in good faith. I followed all the instructions given to me, ”de Blasio said at a press briefing.

He called the investigators "unprofessional, unfair and inaccurate" because they did not interview John Miller, the deputy commissioner for intelligence and counterterrorism of the New York City Police Force, who appeared at the press conference to support the mayor.

“The mayor of New York City, whether that mayor or any other mayor, is a nationally recognized figure, especially now in the very unstable political environment in this country. This carries a hidden threat, ”Miller said.