New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and one of her former political consultants are subjects of a city ethics probe, Crain's has learned.
The noncriminal investigation, which is being conducted by the city's Conflicts of Interest Board, centers around Ms. Mark-Viverito's acceptance of free assistance during her 2013 race for council speaker, according to two sources with knowledge of the matter.
The speaker recently paid $20,000 in campaign cash to a law firm to represent her in the investigation. In November 2014 and again this month, Ms. Mark-Viverito's campaign fund made $10,000 payments to Ballard Spahr Stillman & Friedman. The Conflicts of Interest Board has been deposing figures in the investigation.
In the midst of the competition to succeed Christine Quinn as speaker, the Daily News reported that Ms. Mark-Viverito's acceptance of pro bono help from the Advance Group—a prominent Manhattan lobbying and campaign consulting shop—could run afoul of a city ethics regulation. Good-government group Citizens Union called for the Conflicts of Interest Board to investigate.
The Advance Group had helped Ms. Mark-Viverito prepare for debates and to network with council members and county leaders, who behind closed doors helped decide the internal leadership race. Though Ms. Mark-Viverito's speaker bid had advantages, including the support of Mayor Bill de Blasio, she was not especially popular at the time among many of her council colleagues, from whom she needed 26 votes, or county bosses, who controlled many members' votes.
The ethics question arose because as a public servant, Ms. Mark-Viverito is prohibited by the City Charter from taking a "valuable gift" from a firm that intends to do business with the city. Lobbyists are also prohibited from providing such gifts. The Advance Group has extensive lobbying business before city government, including the powerful speaker.
A public official found to have violated the rule can be fined up to $25,000, and someone providing improper assistance up to $5,000.
16 comments:
There is pure evil in her eyes,no soul.
The only thing worse than a socialist is a phony socialist.
Definitely in the pockets of the real estate developers.
She should go, not good for NYC.
Her fall from grace is coming soon. Very soon.
"A public official found to have violated the rule can be fined up to $25,000, and someone providing improper assistance up to $5,000."
Where's the punishment?
They create all sorts of campaign finance rules to protect the incumbents.
But at this point, the law is so complex that mistakes or willful evasions are bound to happen.
If a skillful pro like Mark-Viverito (Melissa) gets tripped up on this, who can avoid it?
There is pure evil in her eyes,no soul.... Maybe she is Charlie Manson's long lost daughter.
There is pure evil in her eyes,no soul.
Yea, now I know why city council is taking a moment away from the important business of the city to legalize ferrets.
Whoa...she looks like she just stuck her tampon in the wrong place.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUuH4TEmgLo
Didn't see her at the 2nypd funerals. She truly is a nasty diseased skank.
Looks like this story is playing second fiddle to Sheldon's arrest. What timing.
Pure evil in those eyes. Christine Quinn is beginning to look better and better.
this is only the beginning.and its going to blow up.
missy and her flying monkeys in city hall are proud hypocrites with no shame.as dirty as the conservatives they criticize when it involves piles of donor cash.In her mind she thought she was entitled to that money because she acknowledges the concerns of the struggling and disenfranchised.
What a piglet!
What a scowl. Maybe she got her panties in a bind.
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