The investigator nominated by Mayor de Blasio to keep the city government in check revealed Thursday that Hizzoner will have a big say in appointing what’s meant to be an “independent” NYPD watchdog.
Mark Peters, a de Blasio pal who served as his campaign treasurer through Jan. 6, stunned even administration allies when he said at his confirmation hearing that the mayor would have “significant input” in selecting a first-ever inspector general.
“I’m not troubled by someone saying the mayor will have input,” said City Council Member Jumaane Williams (D-Brooklyn), who pressed Peters on the topic. “I am troubled by someone saying the mayor will have ‘significant’ input.”
The new IG position, established by the City Council last year, will be chosen by — and report to — the incoming head of the Department of Investigation.
Peters insisted that if his nomination to the top spot at DOI is confirmed in a vote by council members Tuesday, he would be the one to make the call on the inspector general.
The longtime lawyer and investigator also repeatedly said his ties to de Blasio wouldn’t impede his ability to be impartial.
“I would investigate the mayor and his staff under the same circumstances that I would investigate any other city employee,” he said.
Yet Peters also testified that he couldn’t envision a single instance in which he would need to recuse himself from a case connected to the mayor.
At one point, he even felt compelled to defend his pal’s reputation.
“I have not only no reason to believe that the mayor would ever engage in unethical conduct, but I’m very confident the mayor would not engage in unethical conduct,” he said.
When Council Member Dan Garodnick (D-Manhattan) brought up the hypothetical possibility of the city probing the mayor’s campaign finances, Peters conceded that, as his former treasurer, he would hand off the case to staffers.
“Fair point,” said Peters, who has had several stints working in the state Attorney General’s Office. “I hadn’t thought of that.”
Dick Dadey, director of the good-government group Citizens Union, testified that council members were right to raise questions about Peters’ ties to de Blasio.
But, he said at the City Hall hearing, “that Mr. Peters has a close relationship with the mayor does not disqualify him — given his credentials, experience and qualifications.”
Nearly all of the council members praised Peters’ qualifications for the $205,000 role, which was last held by Rose Gill Hearn.
Ideologically, Peters said he was in sync with the council on the need for an IG to oversee all aspects of the NYPD’s work.
He said he supported the law passed last year establishing the watchdog position, based on concerns about police relations with the community.
“I think those concerns were legitimate and there was a need for an independent inspector general to be looking at those systemic issues,” he said.