REMARKS
Council Member Lincoln Restler expresses his disagreement with prior testimony
1:23:43
·
53 sec
Council Member Lincoln Restler expresses strong disagreement with testimony suggesting current post-employment and lobbying laws are adequate.
- Restler raises concerns that powerful officials like the mayor's chief of staff could lobby most of city government immediately after leaving office under current laws.
- Restler questions bypassing the City Council's legislative process and enacting changes through a charter revision commission instead.
- Restler argues for tighter restrictions than those proposed in the bills under consideration, which aim to impose further lobbying and post-employment limitations.
Lincoln Restler
1:23:43
So just to do a little bit of a recap, you testified that the mayor chief of staff the widely recognized most powerful person in city government, shy of the mayor, could lobby 99% could appear before 99% of city government the day after he left office.
1:23:59
And you've also testified that you believe the current laws on post employment restrictions are appropriate and good.
1:24:07
That they've worked well, I think, was your language over the last series of decades.
1:24:12
I could not more strongly disagree.
1:24:16
You've testified in opposition to the bills that we're considering today to impose further restrictions and recommended that the only that the appropriate way to consider modifications would be through a charter revision commission.
1:24:30
I have to ask your appearance before the city council where the duly elected representatives.
1:24:33
We pass bills every single month.