Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz was hit today with a stinging $20,000 fine by the city’s ethics panel for taking along his wife on three overseas trips paid by foreign governments.
The Conflicts of Interest Board issued the unusually large penalty after an administrative law judge determined that Markowitz abused his position by allowing the governments of Turkey and the Netherlands to pick up the expenses of his wife, Jamie, when he took her along on official trips to those two countries.
“By accepting travel expenses for his wife for each trip, respondent used his position as a public servant for private or personal advantage,” ruled Judge Kevin Casey.
“Simply put, his wife was able to travel with him for free.”
The board imposed a $3,000 fine for a 2007 Turkey trip, where Jamie Markowitz paid her own way but accepted a free flight within Turkey; a $7,000 fine for a 2007 trip to Holland and a $10,000 fine for a second Turkey trip in 2009.
The three trips were valued at between $11,000 and $89,997.
The board pointed out that Markowitz had been given prior notice of the rules when Cunard Lines launched the Queen Mary II in Brooklyn in 2007 and invited the BP and his wife along for the ride.
Markowitz was told he could accept the offer, but his wife would have to pay her own way.
Markowitz told The Post he was flabbergasted by the decision, which he called “crazy.”
“Some people get in trouble when they don;t take their wives,” he said. “I’m getting in trouble because I took my wife.”
Markowitz insisted the was no conflict — while there might have been with the Queens Mary– since neither Holland or Turkey do business with the city, nor does a non-profit that also provided funding.
“I was representing Brooklyn and New York,” he said.
“I’m not a dummy. I understand what a conflict is…I didn’t abuse my position. What they’re saying is they don’t recognize my role (in promoting the city and Brooklyn) beyond the borders of Brooklyn. They don’t believe my wife has any role and they’re wrong. You go to Europe, other countries, being borough president Brooklyn is a big thing there.”
Despite his anger at the decision, Markowitz said he will pay “the goddamn fine” and ask the City Council to “address this and set it right.”
In February, the same ethics panel fine Markowitz $2,000 for using his chief of staff as a lawyer in his home closing.