Category Archives: Bill de Blasio

de Blasio Press Q&A: The Workforce Development Edition



Mayor Bill de Blasio hosted a press conference today promoting changes in and expansion of the City’s workforce development efforts.

On Topic Q&A:

Here is the on topic portion of the Q&A:

Off Topic Q&A:

Off topic questions were predominantly focused on the Thursday night NYPD shooting of an unarmed man in Brooklyn’s Pink Houses, the ongoing grand juries in the Michael Brown and Eric Garner cases and police/community relations.

Excerpts of the mayor’s full comments on the NYPD shooting are here.

de Blasio on NYPD Shooting



Mayor Bill de Blasio addressed the overnight shooting of an unarmed man in Brooklyn’s Pink Houses, a New York City Housing Authority complex.  Speaking at a press conference announcing expanded job placement efforts by the City, de Blasio was asked several questions about the shooting and City efforts at improving NYCHA conditions and security and about police-community relations.

The full Q&A is here.

de Blasio Discusses Wife’s Role



Mayor de Blasio was asked today about his wife’s role in his administration and why it’s appropriate for her to have City staff.  Since his election, de Blasio has frequently discussed the important role Chirlane McCray plays in his own decision making and, among other actions, named her as chair of the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City.  McCray’s chief of staff, Rachel Noerdlinger, announced Monday that she is taking an indefinite leave of absence in the wake of a number of widely-reported personal difficulties.

de Blasio spoke at a press conference/media roundtable focused on City efforts to address problems in the Corrections Department and the jails it operates on Rikers Island.

de Blasio Press Q&A: The DOC Edition



Mayor Bill de Blasio held a “media roundtable” today to discuss ongoing problems in the City Department of Correction and the jails it operates on Rikers Island.  Joined by Correction Commissioner Joseph Ponte and First Deputy Mayor Tony Shorris, de Blasio spoke at length about those problems and City plans to address them.

Off-Topic Q&A:

Questions in the off-topic portion of the Q&A included the role of Mayor de Blasio’s wife, Chirlane McCray, and her having City staff, Senate Republican leader Dean Skelos’ criticism of de Blasio’s involvement in recent senate elections, whether de Blasio supports a tax on grocery bags, an update on the recent change in NYPD practice on marijuana possession, why the average person should care about conditions on Rikers Island (an on-topic question, but posed during this off-topic portion of the press conference), whether de Blasio is troubled by Al Sharpton’s tax troubles, what the expected executive action President Obama on immigration will mean for the City, an update on the City’s municipal ID program, preparations for a rally being organized by Al Sharpton upon the completion of the Ferguson grand jury, a possible mail-in response for marijuana summonses and whether mayor supports regulating costumed characters in Times Square.

de Blasio Responds on Sharpton Tax Issues



Mayor Bill de Blasio responded today to longtime ally Al Sharpton’s tax troubles, distinguishing between Sharpton’s professional/public work and personal tax issues.  While not excusing Sharpton’s tax troubles, de Blasio did minimize their consequence on Sharpton’s public role.  de Blasio was asked about Sharpton at a press conference/media roundtable focused on City efforts to address problems in the Corrections Department and the jails it operates on Rikers Island.

de Blasio’s full off-topic Q&A is here.

de Blasio Press Q&A: The Melting ICE Edition



Mayor Bill de Blasio today signed two laws which markedly reduce the City’s cooperation with the federal government’s efforts at deporting people unlawfully in the United States.  At a ceremony on the steps of Our Lady of Sorrows in Corona, the mayor signed bills which prohibit the presence of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency at Rikers Island and other City facilities and which provide that the City corrections and police departments “will no longer honor requests by ICE to detain an individual for up to 48 hours beyond their scheduled release unless (1) ICE provides a judicial warrant as to probable cause, and (2) the individual in question has been convicted of a violent or serious felony within the last five years, or is a possible match on the terrorist watch list.”

Press Q&A:

Following opening remarks and a signing ceremony, the mayor answered questions from the press.  On-topic questions included the timing of the effectiveness of the laws signed today and when ICE will close it’s office on Rikers Island, how many people currently on Rikers Island will be covered by these laws, details of Carlos Rodriguez (who was held on Rikers Island for eight months on an ICE detainer) path to this country and his thoughts during his eight month detention, what Mayor de Blasio would like to see the federal government do about immigration and what he will do absent such action, what he would tell Republicans who think his approach is a dangerous precedent, de Blasio and Melissa Mark-Viverito’s positions on municipal IDs and voting rights for non-citizens, the number of people arrested on misdemeanors and then subject to ICE detainers and whether persons arrested on felony charges must first go through the justice system before being subject to an ICE detainer.

Off-topic questions included efforts at combating sex trafficking on Roosevelt Avenue, reports of criminal charges against a defunct arm of the Working Families Party, whether the mayor will veto proposed bills criminalizing police use of chokeholds and requiring police to advise people of a right to refuse before asking to search them, whether the mayor plans to see the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge when they visit New York, whether his message is getting lost in critical news coverage and his view of the Astoria Cove development deal.

de Blasio Press Q&A: The Veterans Day Parade Edition (Updated x 2)



Mayor Bill de Blasio spoke with the press this afternoon, following his march up Fifth Avenue in the Veterans Day Parade.  After an opening statement on his own family’s experience in dealing with his father’s physical and emotional wounds from World War II combat and the broader shortfalls in government aid for veterans, de Blasio answered questions.  Question topics included why he agreed to a $41 million settlement in the Central Park 5 case, whether he would like the state legislature to have a special session in November or December, what he spoke about today with Ray Kelly, whether he would like to see state laws concerning marijuana possession changed, the release from quarantine of Ebola patient Dr. Craig Spencer and whether Governor Cuomo was invited to the press conference this morning as Dr. Spencer was released from Bellevue, whether he supports a proposed City Council bill which would ban cell phone use while biking and his recent conversation with and view of IDC leader Sen. Jeff Klein.

Update – Jeff Klein:

I asked the mayor about his recent conversation with IDC leader Sen. Jeff Klein.  de Blasio emphasized Klein’s interest in addressing a “very serious agenda” which includes a minimum wage increase, the Dream Act, campaign finance reform and the Women’s Equality Act.  When I asked whether he’s disappointed by Klein’s reported readiness to again align his Independent Democratic Conference with the senate Republican Conference, de Blasio responded “I don’t like to speak in terms of joy or disappointment or personalities … I care about the outcome.”

Update #2 – Central Park 5 Settlement:

Mayor de Blasio was asked about the Central Park 5 settlement and news reports that City lawyers objected to the $41 million settlement amount.

de Blasio Press Q&A: The 25 Grams Or Less Edition



Mayor Bill de Blasio and Police Commissioner today announced a significant change in the NYPD’s handling of people possessing small amounts of marijuana.  Possession of 25 grams or less will now be generally handled by the NYPD issuing a summons, rather than arresting the possessor.

Q&A:

de Blasio and Bratton had a lengthy Q&A, with it almost entirely focused on their announcement.  Here’s their full on-topic Q&A:

de Blasio & Bratton Battle the Post



Mayor Bill de Blasio and Police Commissioner Bill Bratton held an unusual Sunday afternoon press conference to denounce a New York Post report that de Blasio’s wife, Chirlane McCray, was deeply angry at Bratton over NYPD Chief of Department’s Philip Banks’ sudden retirement and that de Blasio had “summoned Bratton to City Hall, blasting him face to face for not catering to Banks”.  The Post quoted McCray as saying “I told you we can’t trust him”, in reference to Bratton, to de Blasio.

de Blasio profusely praised both the NYPD and Bratton, and then denounced “unnamed sources who make up entire conversations in their heads and tell flat-out lies.”  Bratton in turn praised the mayor and condemned the “falsehoods” and “fabrications” as “nothing short of outrageous” that were “intentionally intended to harm.”

de Blasio Opening Statement:

Here is Mayor de Blasio’s full opening statement:

Bratton Opening Statement:

Here is Commissioner Bratton’s full opening statement:

Q&A:

Here is the full Q&A:

de Blasio Press Q&A: The Sandy Anniversary Edition



Mayor Bill de Blasio marked the second anniversary of Hurricane Sandy with a press conference on the beach in the Midland Beach section of Staten Island.  Earlier, he had participated in a home rebuilding in Coney Island.

de Blasio was joined at the press conference by members of his administration, including Amy Peterson, Dan Zarelli, Mitch Silver and Bill Goldstein, and elected officials including state senators Diane Savino and Andrew Lanza, council members Steve Matteo and Alan Maisal, Borough President Jimmy Oddo and Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito.

We’ve divided the video of his Q&A as de Blasio did during the press conference; Sandy-related, Ebola-related and off-topic.

Sandy:

Ebola:

Off-topic:

de Blasio and a Rockaway Plan



Mayor Bill de Blasio has recently spoken about a broad plan for economic development and transportation improvements in Rockaway.  He’s spoken only in very general terms, however, without offering any details or more than a vague timeline.

He first discussed it at a press conference in Far Rockaway on October 15th, offering that he anticipates putting forth a “holistic development plan” that will outline a “long term vision for the economic growth of the Rockaways and the transportation to go with it.”  When I asked about the timing, he responded that “you’re going to hear some more announcements in the coming months related to the Rockaways that are specific and then thereafter you’re going to see a much bigger plan … I think that’s something you’re going to see next year.”  Today the Mayor responded that a plan, or at least elements of a plan, would be released “in the coming weeks and months.”

It’s unclear precisely what the Mayor intends, but his words clearly, indeed expressly, create big expectations.

One note – the Mayor’s schedule for Thursday includes “a meeting at City Hall with administration and elected officials to discuss Rockaway redevelopment.”  That’s consistent with recent reports that Rockaway elected officials seeking to stave off the looming end of Rockaway ferry service would meet with de Blasio.  His schedule gives a broader cast to that meeting, “Rockaway redevelopment,” rather than just ferry service.

Here’s video of his recent comments:

Ebola Quarantine Rollback



In an unusual Sunday night press conference, Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio presented a softened version of the Cuomo/Christie Ebola quarantine plan.  At a solo press conference Sunday afternoon de Blasio had essentially accepted the Cuomo/Christie, although he urged a softer approach.  Joined by New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker and New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Travis Bassett, Cuomo and de Blasio presented a plan that now requires persons exposed to Ebola victims in three West African nations to “set-quarantine” at home or in quarters provided by the state under looser rules and restrictions.

Q&A:

Here is the extended Q&A: