Q&A
Questioning Mastro's support for Giuliani's policies
1:59:37
·
158 sec
Council Member Brooks-Powers presses Randy Mastro on whether he agreed with Mayor Giuliani's direction regarding minority business programs, challenging his previous statements about limited involvement.
- Brooks-Powers suggests that Mastro's public praise for Giuliani implies agreement with his policies
- She questions whether Mastro disagreed with the changes to minority business programs
- The council member emphasizes the negative impact of Giuliani's policies on minority-owned businesses, contrasting it with Mastro's claims of limited involvement
Selvena Brooks-Powers
1:59:37
So let me ask you this.
1:59:40
Well, let's continue on this path where you said that you were not responsible for it.
1:59:48
I would imagine that based on some of the glowing comments that you've made publicly about Rudy Giuliani that you agreed with the direction he was taking on the program, or are you saying you did not agree with it?
Randy Mastro
2:00:08
I I'm saying that what I remember about the reforms we made in the program, my understanding was it was intended to facilitate minority and women owned business economic opportunities, not not the way you have described it.
2:00:29
So that was my understanding, but I was not responsible for administering the program, and you know, I I I just want to be clear.
2:00:40
I've talked about things from the the Giuliani administration, and there were a lot of achievements.
2:00:46
And I've talked about my own record in the Giuliani administration.
2:00:49
But that is a program that I was not responsible for reforming or administering.
Selvena Brooks-Powers
2:00:55
I mean and I I hear what you're saying.
2:00:57
The only thing is factually, that wasn't the case that the changes that Rudy Giuliani made during that time, and facts took away opportunities from women and minority owned companies.
2:01:11
And let me finish if I can.
2:01:13
And you stayed So if you didn't believe in the work that was being done or you saw a negative result of a policy, you stayed And so that's the that's the concern that I have.
2:01:32
And, you know, privately, we spoke, and I was very clear in terms of how I feel about MWA's and, you know, I feel the city can always do more as it pertains to the the participation the utilization of minority and women owned businesses.
2:01:51
But this isn't an administration that one of the first actions that he took was to dismantle this very important program.
2:02:02
And as a result of it, saw far less minority and women businesses receiving opportunities for contracts So what is your take on that?