Republican mayoral nominee Joe Lhota called Bill de Blasio “soulless” on Friday — following the front-running Democrat’s flip-flop on the issue of a court-ordered NYPD monitor.
While campaigning for primary votes, de Blasio was a staunch supporter of a judge’s decision to establish stringent oversight of the department and reform the stop-and-frisk practice.
But now that he’s courting moderate voters, de Blasio has changed his tune and called the monitor just “a temporary reality.”
“You can’t have it both ways,” Lhota said of his November opponent’s backpedaling. “You’re either for a monitor or you’re against a monitor.
“He’s for a monitor when he’s a candidate, he’s against a monitor when he’s mayor?” Lhota said while accepting the endorsement of Staten Island Borough President James Molinaro.
“You’re either for it or you’re against it,” he repeated. “You’re going to flip-flop like that all in one conversation?
“It talks about somebody who has no soul.”
Manhattan federal Judge Shira Scheindlin in August named a lawyer to monitor the NYPD and a facilitator to help administer the reforms. The city is appealing her decision.
De Blasio said the monitor shouldn’t be permanent but offered no timetable for the job.
“I don’t project a timeline. That’s something we’d have to work out in practice,” he said. “I’ll say this much: My goal will be to move along the process as quickly as possible . . . Get the work done and continue with the work of the NYPD.”
De Blasio for a second straight day offered murky answers when asked about a rise in shootings since the judge’s decision.
“When we see substantial changes [in tactics] made over substantial periods of time, then we can talk about what’s working and what’s not working,” he said. “But it hasn’t even happened yet.”
Lhota blasted de Blasio for not offering any real solutions to the bloodshed, which the Republican attributed to Scheindlin’s ruling and City Council bills that call for an NYPD inspector general and an end to racial profiling.
“Those actions alone have had a significant impact,” Lhota said.
“And the fact of the matter is, when asked about it, Bill de Blasio’s response was, ‘We need to have better relations between the community and the Police Department.”
“What about the increased murders that are happening here, and why is the New York Police Department being handcuffed?” Lhota asked.
“How do you explain to the mother of a young child who was murdered how community relations is going to deal with the fact that crime is going up?” Lhota asked, referring to 16-month-old Antiq Hennis, who was shot dead in his stroller last month during gang gunplay in Brooklyn.
In further de Blasio flip-flopping Friday, the formerly fierce NYPD critic gave a shout-out to Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, whom he has vowed to replace.
“It’s well known I have some differences with the commissioner in some areas, but I agree with him on core notions of fighting terrorism,” de Blasio said while accepting the endorsement of Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz.
“I agree with him that New York City has to protect its own interests.”