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Questioning about financing of Mastro's challenge to Local Law 97
6:23:08
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5 min
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Council Member Gennaro presses Randy Mastro to disclose who is financing his legal challenge to Local Law 97. Mastro cites client confidentiality, leading to a tense exchange and intervention by Committee Chair Powers.
- Gennaro asks Mastro to reveal who is paying for the lawsuit against Local Law 97
- Mastro refuses to disclose the information, citing client confidences
- The exchange becomes heated, with Gennaro insisting that such information is not protected by attorney-client privilege
- Committee Chair Powers intervenes, offering Mastro 72 hours to amend his testimony and provide the requested information
- The discussion ends with Powers moving the hearing along to the next council member
James Gennaro
6:23:08
really square.
6:23:09
I I I will just follow-up on, like, the central focus of of of my question, which is the ridicule.
6:23:15
And I I think that, you know, ridicule is of, you know, city laws and policies are a bad look for someone who needs to defend and advocate for city laws.
6:23:28
With that, I'm I'm I'm getting the hook.
6:23:30
I'm gonna get one last question regarding local law 97.
6:23:35
That's already been covered to some extent by chair powers and councilor or Tesla and and and councilor or wrestler.
6:23:42
So I'll forego the ramp up to the question.
6:23:46
I they they they kinda talked about that.
6:23:49
Let me get to the to what I wanna ask you about.
6:23:55
You and your clients, those that are that are working with you on local on 97, you and your clients have refused to tell the press who is actually paying your bills for the lawsuit.
6:24:06
In May, AM, New York, ask you and your clients who is financing this effort to undermine local law 97.
6:24:13
Let's not say undermine.
6:24:14
Let's say challenge.
6:24:15
Okay?
6:24:15
To challenge local on 97, and you both, you and your clients, refuse to say, and who finances a lawsuit is not information that is protected by attorney client privilege.
6:24:29
At the time you refuse to comment, would not be formally nominated by the mayor for the for this position.
6:24:34
You're now before the council seeking to be the top law and city government.
6:24:37
And I think it is a comment on you to be transparent about issues like this one.
6:24:42
So can you be candid with the council and the public now who's financing your challenge to local law 97?
Randy Mastro
6:24:50
Well, it's not actually the case counsel and that and for no one's paying the bills, information relating to the financing of litigation, When the when the individuals have an attorney client relationship with you and request that, that's not necessarily what the way you have characterized privilege.
6:25:09
But the fact of the matter is that that party has not wanted to be disclosed publicly, but I will ask that party, that party or parties if they consent to me disclosing that.
6:25:21
But I I, as a matter of client confidence and privilege, have not disclosed those issues.
6:25:26
Other than the parties I am representing.
James Gennaro
6:25:28
How about this?
6:25:29
How about this?
6:25:29
How about this take a sidebar with with with with with counsel to see if to see if the counsel to this committee whether the you know, whether there is whether the counsel to this committee believes that what Mister Mastro just stated it about because he's still claiming, you know, client confidentiality.
6:25:57
I want to hear from our counsel whether or not that squares with his interpretation and or her interpretation.
6:26:06
And if that's the case, I'm going to ask the question again.
6:26:08
Is there anyone here in a any counsel sitting on the desk?
Randy Mastro
6:26:14
I am I I'm not and I'm not authorized to go into that, but I will ask that party or parties.
6:26:20
And if I can disclose it to the counsel, I will.
6:26:23
I would have thought you would have asked me about the case why we brought the case.
6:26:28
Yeah.
James Gennaro
6:26:28
I know.
6:26:28
I I hope to do to help.
6:26:30
I'm trying to move forward because that's already been that's already been the subject.
Robert Avaltroni
6:26:35
What's that?
6:26:36
What's that?
James Gennaro
6:26:37
Okay.
6:26:38
You know, counsel to the committee has just, you know, indicated to me that one I'm asking you does not is not shielded by attorney client privilege.
6:26:49
So I will ask you and so I will ask you again after receiving, after being advised by counsel, who is paying the bill on the local 97 litigations.
Randy Mastro
6:26:58
Right.
6:26:58
And I and I will repeat that I honor client confidences, and I will speak to the client or clients about whether they wave
James Gennaro
6:27:07
When you say confidences, you know, do you mean that they won't like it?
6:27:11
Or this is like, oh, you'd be breaking the law by telling me.
Randy Mastro
6:27:13
Counselman, I will inquire
James Gennaro
6:27:17
of Yeah.
6:27:18
No.
6:27:18
No.
6:27:18
We're we're we're going round and round here.
Randy Mastro
6:27:20
We're not going round and round and I'm supposed to put So So submissions later, Mister Trump.
James Gennaro
6:27:24
So you are
Randy Mastro
6:27:25
saying, so address
James Gennaro
6:27:26
You are telling me later.
6:27:28
You you are telling me that you cannot tell me who's paying who's paying the bill for that lawsuit because that would that would violate attorney client privilege.
6:27:39
Yes or no.
Randy Mastro
6:27:40
I am telling you that
James Gennaro
6:27:41
Yes or no.
Keith Powers
6:27:42
Catherine Spencer, why don't I recommend Catherine Jared?
6:27:45
Why don't
Randy Mastro
6:27:45
you Why
Keith Powers
6:27:46
don't why don't
Randy Mastro
6:27:47
I be be respectful of you.
6:27:48
Please
Keith Powers
6:27:49
Mister Mastro.
6:27:50
Okay.
6:27:50
I used the council member in in Mister Mastro in respect of time and also in respect of trying to keep this civil.
6:27:58
We have asked, you know, we offered 72 hours to amend your testimony to amend your statement.
6:28:03
Take that time.
Randy Mastro
6:28:03
I will let you Please
Keith Powers
6:28:04
let us know if you're able to provide that information.
6:28:06
If that's Thank you.
James Gennaro
6:28:08
Thank you.
6:28:08
Thank you for your
Randy Mastro
6:28:09
Thank you.
6:28:09
And I'm sorry you raised your voice, but I'm just trying to be respectful of the counsel, and
James Gennaro
6:28:13
I just wanna make sure you hear me.
6:28:14
I wanna make sure you hear me.
Keith Powers
6:28:16
Gonna keep we're gonna keep moving.
6:28:17
We're gonna keep moving along because we are at 5 o'clock right now, and we have a lot of folks in public who wanna be heard and have a right to be heard.
6:28:24
We're gonna go to council member Sanchez next.