Q&A
Mastro's response to criticisms of minority business programs
1:57:28
·
128 sec
Randy Mastro responds to criticisms about his role in the Giuliani administration's handling of minority and women-owned business programs, attempting to clarify his responsibilities and intentions.
- Mastro states he was not directly responsible for administering the minority business programs
- He claims the reforms were intended to create economic opportunities for minority and women-owned businesses
- Mastro explains his roles as chief of staff and deputy mayor for operations, emphasizing the limitations of his involvement in certain programs
Randy Mastro
1:57:28
I appreciate you asking that question.
1:57:31
And while I was not the person in city hall in either capacity chief of staff or as deputy mayor for operations responsible for the administration of the program.
1:57:45
It was certainly my understanding and intent that the reforms we made in the program were intended to create economic opportunity for minority and women owned businesses.
1:58:00
Former deputy mayor Rudy Washington will be here to testify as well, and it was a program that he was involved in.
1:58:07
So he may be able to address more specifically your questions.
1:58:10
But my understanding is we made reforms that were intended to help minority and women owned businesses, and certainly that would have been my intent.
1:58:20
So I I can't speak to what what the quote you have from the mayor, but I can say what my personal intent and understanding was earlier point in the administration when we made certain reforms.
1:58:32
So I appreciate the question, and That's my recollection.
Selvena Brooks-Powers
1:58:37
And so you're saying that as chief of staff and as director of operations that you played, no role at all, and the role backs of this program?
Randy Mastro
1:58:49
I I did not.
1:58:50
As chief of staff, my role and, of course, the role of chief of staff differs from administration to administration, but as chief of staff, my role was the administration of the the mayor's office, the offices that were part of the mayor's office.
1:59:05
And it's deputy mayor for operations.
1:59:08
My role was to oversee the operational issue, the operational agencies of city government, most of them, not all of them.
1:59:15
Not economic development, not community development, not small business administration.
1:59:21
Those were other deputy mayors.
1:59:25
As deputy mayor for operations, I oversaw most of the operating agencies of the city.
1:59:30
As well as, you know, intergovernmental budget, but not administering that program.