PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Bertha Lewis, President of the Black Institute, the Black Leadership Action Coalition, and Black Institute Group
8:36:01
·
4 min
Bertha Lewis strongly opposes the appointment of Randy Mastro as Corporation Counsel, citing his controversial history with the Giuliani administration and his involvement in policies that she believes were detrimental to New York City. She urges the City Council to reject his nomination.
- Lewis details Mastro's role in the Giuliani administration, including his involvement in "stop and frisk" and "broken windows" policing policies, and efforts to dismantle affirmative action programs.
- She highlights Mastro's participation in attempts to limit City Council powers and his representation of landlords against rent stabilization laws.
- Lewis questions why Mastro is the only candidate put forward for the position, suggesting there are many other competent lawyers in the city.
Bertha Lewis
8:36:01
Thank you, chairperson, of this committee, and to all the city council members present and absent.
8:36:10
My name is Bertha Lewis, and I am the president of the Black Institute, the Black Leadership Action Coalition, and Black Institute Group.
8:36:19
And I am vehemently opposed to the appointment of Randy Maestro to the position of corp council to this body.
8:36:28
We need to remember some history.
8:36:32
Yes, in 1993, there was a riot on the steps of city hall led by the NYPD, and then candidate Rudolph Giuliani.
8:36:44
It was racist.
8:36:45
It was vicious and violent.
8:36:50
Well, counsel member Paladino is in here, but I was not twelve years old.
8:36:55
I was there.
8:36:57
I witnessed it, and I was assaulted in it.
8:37:04
Upon the election of Mister Giuliani to be mayor of New York City, despite this despicable display, Mister Maestro made a decision to join that administration as 1st deputy and deputy mayor of operations.
8:37:25
In his position with the Giuliani administration, he was one of the architects and consultants on the stopping first and broken windows policy.
8:37:38
He and then mayor Giuliani systematically dismantled affirmative action from the Jenkins administration.
8:37:47
He tried to eliminate all in WWE programs.
8:37:52
And, yes, he was part of vacancy, de control.
8:37:55
And is that one of the people who would have been testifying here today, he worked with Democrats and speaker of Malone.
8:38:05
Listen, he went on.
8:38:06
I'm going on.
8:38:08
And I was here.
8:38:10
In 1998, after the bishop's attacked by the NYPD on Abdi Lueema, he was assigned to the policing task force set up by Giuliani, and he defended the mayor when dismissed when he dismissed all of the recommendations of the task force.
8:38:30
In 1999, he headed the mayor's charter revision commission to limit the powers of the city council, just the same as the current mayor is doing now.
8:38:45
He reprocessed in at the Republican Party of Staten Island to challenge the election of Debbie Rose to this council and destroy the working family's party in the process, but he lost that battle.
8:39:02
He likes to 2 his chairmanship as Citizens Union as proof that he is a progressive and that he is for good government.
8:39:11
But he has used Citizens Union to promote himself and to defend one of his private commercial clients.
8:39:20
Even today, his law firm has a case representing big landlords and the rent stabilization association to get provisions of the rent stabilization law.
8:39:34
Members of the council reject this revisionist lawyer The job of court counsel is to represent a people of New York City.
8:39:48
He is not and has never been for the people of this great city.
8:39:55
When considering this appointment, ask yourselves one important question.
8:40:01
Why of all the thousands of competent and accomplished lawyers in this city?
8:40:08
Would he be the only one that the mayor has put forth?
8:40:14
I urge you to reject him and to use your power of advising consent to just say no.
8:40:24
Thank you.