Q&A
Ethical concerns about Mastro's litigation tactics and moral character
1:41:17
·
5 min
Council Member Ayala raised serious concerns about Randy Mastro's ethical conduct and moral character, particularly regarding his litigation tactics in cases involving vulnerable populations. She questioned whether Mastro's past actions aligned with the ethical standards expected of the Corporation Counsel.
- Ayala emphasized the importance of moral character and ethical practices in addition to legal compliance
- She criticized Mastro's tactics in the Lucerne Hotel case as unethical, even if legally permissible
- Ayala provided a detailed account of Mastro's actions during the Giuliani administration, particularly regarding AIDS services and Housing Works
- She questioned Mastro's commitment to civil rights and protecting vulnerable populations based on his past actions
Diana Ayala
1:41:17
Well, I don't wanna wanna care about this.
1:41:19
I don't wanna go, of course, because I really don't wanna I, you know, I don't wanna get until the back and forth about this, but I think that, you know, your your your record of accomplishments, I'm must I'm, you know, I'm sure, you know, speaks of itself.
1:41:29
But there's also a question of character, of moral character.
1:41:32
There's also a question about tack There's also a question about what is legal board should, you know, should probably not be or should be handled differently.
1:41:40
And I think that taking a photograph of an on house individual, you know, under false well, firstly, entering this person's place of residence on the false pretenses, photographing this person to me is an unethical practice.
1:41:55
And whether or not it was legal and whether or not the courts, I take that in high regard when I am making my decisions because I don't that's not the that's not the moral conduct that I uphold myself too, and I expect more from everyone else.
1:42:07
But I'm gonna move on because, again, like I said, you have a lot of questions.
1:42:10
Super managers.
1:42:11
I'm not asking a question, Mister Mesro.
1:42:13
So I'm not asking you to anything at this moment.
1:42:15
Okay?
1:42:15
I and I wanna talk about your record with respect to social services and specifically for New York City's gay community and those living with HIV AIDS in your meetings with council members in advance of this hearing and in interviews with the press.
1:42:27
You stated that you were proud of the Giuliani administration support of gay rights.
1:42:32
It's true that in 1998, Rudy Giuliani signed the law recognizing the rights of gay and lesbian people to form domestic partnerships with the New York Times reported was, at the time, the urging of one of his best friends and biggest donors, and post divorce roommate openly gay car dealer Howard Coppell.
1:42:50
But when you began working at city hall in 1994, there were other more pressing issues facing the gay community, namely AIDS.
1:42:58
And the government's response to it failed.
1:43:02
By 1993, HIV AIDS diagnosed in New York were diagnoses in New York were up to 12833 per year.
1:43:11
By 1994, AIDS deaths in New York were peaking at 8334.
1:43:17
The Department of AIDS Services, which has been established in 1985, to expedite health housing, food, health care assistance to people living with HIV AIDS had a staff of around 704 who served 16,008 patients.
1:43:33
At the time, gay people had no legal protections from employment or housing discrimination, and people with AIDS were often too sick to work.
1:43:40
As Rudy Giuliani prepared to enter the mayor's office, he proposed drastically cutting the budget if not eliminating the Department of AIDS services entirely.
1:43:49
Housing works on nonprofit service and advocates organization founded in 1990 to provide housing and supportive services to low income New Yorkers living with HIV and AIDS objected.
1:44:00
In conjunction with the AIDS activists like ActUp, housing works used, peaceful, but well public sized demonstrations and protests to call attention to the need for better HIV AIDS policies and improvements to the mayor's division of AIDS services in New York City.
1:44:14
When the group staged a protest, the administration position helicopters above and station snipers on top of city hall.
1:44:22
That survived budget cuts in 1994 budget, but come 1995, the Giuliani administration required people applying for aids related services who were literally struggling to survive to go through the same month's long rotate process that able-bodied people go through to get public assistance.
1:44:39
This catalyst policy was struck down by the court of appeals in 1999 in an opinion that found that Giuliani that the Iani administration created illegal obstacles for individuals living with HIV or AIDS to obtain public assistance.
1:44:53
As deputy mayor of operations, you oversaw the mayor's office of contracts, which included the approval of city contracts.
1:45:01
Subsequent to housing works, vigorous demonstrations, protests, and criticisms of former mayor Giuliani and his HIV AIDS policies, the city eliminated several contracts with housing works, which you approved, including non renewal of housing works aids housing contract, which helped house 100 of New Yorkers living with HIV and AIDS.
1:45:21
I would like to submit for the record that this position of Randy Mastro make particular reference to page 109 paragraphs 13 to 16.
1:45:29
You will ask if, quote, there was a decision made, was there not to refuse to renew housing work scatter site contract in 1997, unquote.
1:45:38
You admitted, quoted.
1:45:41
Quote, I allowed the decision to stand, unquote.
1:45:44
I reference page 113 paragraph 13.
1:45:47
And at reference page 116 paragraphs 17 19, you further stated, quote, while I would have had the authority to take a contrary review, I did not take a contrary review, unquote.
1:45:59
There were many lawsuits brought against the Giuliani administration.
1:46:02
In fact, housing works suit, former mayor Giuliani, yourself, and other high ranking officials with within the Giuliani administration for 1st amendment violations and illegal retaliatory actions.
1:46:14
The city paid housing works almost 5,000,000 to settle the lawsuit, which was one of the largest settlements in a series of settlements made with a variety of groups and people who all complain that high ranking officials like yourself in the Giuliani administration illegally retaliated against them for criticism.
1:46:31
Why would we trust you to be a champion of civil rights and pro gave rights in your role as corporation counsel when you have used your power to not uplift, but instead allow the Giuliani administration to abuse some of the most vulnerable populations, individuals in New York City.