Mayor Bill de Blasio repeatedly ducked questions Thursday about whether he broke ethics rules by soliciting contributions from people with business before the city.
The city Department of Investigation concluded the mayor hit up individuals and companies with matters pending before city agencies to fill the coffers of his now-shuttered nonprofit, the Campaign for One New York.
“I feel absolutely that I’ve been consistent with all the right standards throughout and everything has been looked at and addressed,” the mayor said, invoking his standard response, at an unrelated press conference.
But when reporters pressed him, he grew irritated and clammed up.
“So you don’t think that the DOI finding has any merit?” de Blasio was asked in a follow-up.
“I’ve spoken to it,” he responded.
“Did the Conflicts of Interest Board discipline you in any way?” another reporter chimed in.
“I’m just not getting into it further. It’s all been looked at,” de Blasio repeated.
When a third question on the issue was headed his way, the mayor had enough and cut it off.
“No. I have nothing else to say about it,” he said.
No charges were filed against the mayor in the CONY case, but new questions have been raised about his Fairness PAC, the federal fundraising committee mayor is using to fund a possible presidential run.
De Blasio punted when asked about the PAC’s process for vetting donors.
“The folks from the Fairness PAC can go over the technicalities with you,” he said.
The mayor concluded with three more non-answers.
“I’m just not going further into that. This has been looked at by the appropriate entities. No further action was taken. I have nothing else to say on it,” he said as the questions kept coming.
Hours earlier, City Council Speaker Corey Johnson called DOI’s findings “a big deal because it’s important that we always ensure that we create further trust in government.”
Johnson added, “I have never been reluctant to apologize and say I’m sorry when I think I made a mistake or that I should’ve done something differently.
So I think it’s OK to apologize and to take responsibility.”
When asked if Johnson wanted an apology from the mayor he said, “I’m never going to tell anyone when they should. I think people know maybe when they should apologize.”
Additional reporting by Rich Calder