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Discussion of Fran Reiter as a character witness for Mastro

1:50:38

·

138 sec

Council Member Ayala questioned Randy Mastro's decision to invite former deputy mayor Fran Reiter as a character witness, given her alleged negative views towards Housing Works. Mastro defended Reiter and his choice to include her testimony.

Ayala suggested that Reiter had negative feelings towards Housing Works and questioned her credibility as a character witness
Mastro denied this characterization, describing Reiter as a 'tireless advocate for the gay community'
He reiterated that he never retaliated against anyone and that no court has ever questioned his moral character
Mastro emphasized Reiter's advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights and those suffering from AIDS

Diana Ayala

1:50:38

You have you have you have invited former deputy mayor, friend, writer, to testify today on your behalf.

1:50:43

At the time that you were okay, the termination that you okay, the termination of housing works contracts, you were aware of the friend writer hated housing works and blamed them for how other ACE activists were portraying her.

1:50:57

Why would you think that someone who advocated for terminating an ACE charity contract would re would have received by the council as a compelling and credible character witness for you, and when were you trying to convince this counsel that you've always supported the gay community, why would you ask her to come to testify on your behalf?

Randy Mastro

1:51:16

Well, that's not true.

1:51:17

And Fran was a tireless advocate for the gay community and people from that community.

1:51:24

And the fact of the matter is, I never retaliated against anyone about anything.

1:51:30

And I never You

Diana Ayala

1:51:31

are a high ranking official.

Randy Mastro

1:51:32

Please please counsel a woman.

1:51:33

Please let me finish.

1:51:34

Okay?

1:51:35

This is important because you've questioned my moral character, and you've questioned whether I retaliated against people.

1:51:41

And I never did that No court has ever found that I did that.

1:51:45

No court has ever questioned my moral character or integrity.

1:51:48

The fact of the matter is I've stood up

Diana Ayala

1:51:50

for a part of your hierarchy.

1:51:51

I have official in the administration who drive the authority.

Randy Mastro

1:51:54

I have stood up for

Diana Ayala

1:51:56

the homeless contractors.

1:51:57

You were a part of these conversations where you not miss the mushroom?

Randy Mastro

1:52:00

I have already testified that

Diana Ayala

1:52:02

the courts have already found in favor of housing works.

1:52:04

It was a substantial you know, it was a lawsuit.

Randy Mastro

1:52:07

I have already testified that I advocated for rights in that community, I advocated for homeless rights, and I've done that in private practice.

1:52:20

I think my the entirety of my record reflects that I have had an unblemished record of ethics and integrity and practice in all phases of my career, and I have stood up for the civil rights of people in that community and for the civil rights of the homeless.

1:52:37

And I've gone to court to vindicate them time and time again.

1:52:41

So you have to look at it once an iron record, and my entire record speaks of somebody who stood up for the homeless and someone who stood up for the LGBTQ plus community in the Supreme Court on multiple occasions.

1:52:54

That's the record councilwoman.

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Questions about Mastro's ability to act without retaliation as Corporation Counsel

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Mastro's defense of his record on civil rights and advocacy for vulnerable populations