Former Mayor Bill de Blasio has reached a financial settlement with the city’s Conflicts of Interest Board over his improper use of a police detail during his failed presidential campaign in 2019.
As part of the agreement, signed on May 9, de Blasio will pay a total of $229,794.20 back to the city — in quarterly installments over the next four years. He’s already paid back $100,000 in fines, COIB said in a press release.
“This settlement brings to a successful conclusion the first ever enforcement action brought by the Board against a Mayor of the City of New York,” the board wrote in a press release, thanking the Department of Investigation for its “extensive” work which helped complete the process.
The settlement also follows three years of litigation, as de Blasio fought back against paying his owed amount after COIB began their enforcement against him in April 2022.
He was accused of improperly using his NYPD detail as he ran a losing campaign in the 2020 presidential Democratic primary, charging the city for travel, meals, and lodging for the officers.
De Blasio then sued the board, which ruled in June 2023 that he would have to pay back $319,794.20, and a $155,000 fine. A state Supreme Court judge tossed the former mayor’s suit in January.
As part of the settlement, he agreed to drop his appeal and the board agreed to forgo $145,000 of its original fine after de Blasio’s lawyers said “his financial situation” makes it impossible for him to pay it.
If he ever defaults on his payment, however, he’ll have to pay the original full amount of nearly $475,000 through any amount of legal force, the settlement states.
“Today I settled an outstanding case with the NYC COIB,” de Blasio posted on social media Wednesday. “I acknowledge that I made a mistake, and I deeply regret it. Now it’s time to move forward.”
Notably, if de Blasio — who since leaving office has worked inacademia — dies before the payments are done, COIB agreed not to try to obtain the remaining money from his estate or his heirs.
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The post De Blasio Reaches $230K Settlement With Conflicts Board Over Use of Public Resources During 2020 Presidential Run appeared first on THE CITY – NYC News.
