PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by David Paterson, Former Governor of State of New York, on Randy Mastro's Appointment as Corporation Counsel
8:51:18
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5 min
David Paterson, former Governor of New York, testifies in support of Randy Mastro's appointment as Corporation Counsel. He emphasizes Mastro's ability to represent not just the mayor, but the entire city government, and highlights Mastro's commitment to Democratic principles and his past actions in preventing the elimination of the public advocate position.
- Paterson praises Mastro's endurance during the long hearing and his genuine concern for the city.
- He addresses concerns about Mastro's past as a well-paid lawyer, arguing that representing large businesses is important for generating revenue.
- Paterson highlights Mastro's actions in 1999 to stop Mayor Giuliani from eliminating the public advocate position, demonstrating Mastro's integrity.
David Paterson
8:51:18
They won't mind hearing the names again.
8:51:21
Madam speaker.
8:51:23
Chairman Powers, members of the city council, and all of you who have come here today.
8:51:29
I'm David Patterson.
8:51:31
I'm a recovering governor, and I am very happy to be here in support of Randy Mastro's appointment to become a corporation counsel.
8:51:42
I've listened to a lot of conversation today, but there was just one part of the conversation that stuck in my head.
8:51:50
And it came from the dynamic and articulate speaker of the New York City Council, Adrian Adams.
8:51:57
She delineated the difference between appointing a council in house and appointing a corporation counsel.
8:52:06
For years, the corporation counsel was really the mayor's lawyer and have responded only to the to the mayor.
8:52:14
Some very good government action in the past few years has changed that.
8:52:19
Now the corporation council's duty is to represent not just the mayor, but the city council, the independent elected officials like the public advocate, and the agencies or subsidiaries of the of the New York City government.
8:52:36
And so that's a much greater demand on a lawyer, but I don't think it is beyond the reach of any Randy Mastro.
8:52:47
Anybody who could sit here for 8 a half hours.
8:52:49
And every time someone asked him a question, he said he's glad to hear the the question probably needs to rethink whether or not he really wants to have this job.
8:52:59
But I think It was an exhibition of his concerns and his true love of the actual city.
8:53:07
He happens to be a Democrat.
8:53:09
He has always registered and voted as a Democrat.
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And he stood for the Democratic principles trying to eradicate the pills of our society, poor housing, drug abuse, crime, unemployment and underemployment, poor and adequate health care facilities and often and too often a failed educational system.
8:53:34
So having someone that has that breadth of interest representing us in the corporation council's office, I think would be a a tremendous idea.
8:53:45
Now many of you have elicited concerns about him and gone into his previous life as a very well paid lawyer.
8:53:57
And that is interesting enough as it is, but we would not want to actually state that we don't like people who represent large businesses, large corporations.
8:54:12
A lot of that is what generates the revenues of our society.
8:54:17
At the same time, Some of you have raised some issues about things that went on when he was really not in position to change them.
8:54:26
But the one time he did, I didn't think he got new credit for it, and it was in 1999.
8:54:32
When the mayor knew that he'd be leaving in 2001 that Mark Green was the odds on favorite to become the new mayor.
8:54:41
And so he thought, at that point, that he would have a commission to set up to basically eliminate the position of public advocate, and Randy Mastro stopped him.
8:54:56
Now when you're working for the type of personality, that Rudy Giuliani is, and it's no surprise that he went to vote he went to hang out with Donald Trump because he was trying to affect and and and actually eliminate an election in New York City, and Donald Trump was trying to steal an election in the United States of America, so I see why they hang out together.
8:55:23
But the point is that Randy Mastro mused that opportunity to stop what would have been a tremendous downgrade of of of of legislative and executive power in in allowing that to go through.
Keith Powers
8:55:42
So together.
David Paterson
8:55:44
You're welcome.
Keith Powers
8:55:45
Thank you.
8:55:46
Thank you.
8:55:47
Do we have questions from council members panel?
Adrienne E. Adams
8:55:53
I'll just say that I tremendously respectable of you very much as I did the first panel, and I appreciate you hanging out with us today.
8:56:04
A assembly member, a veteran who shares a district with me.
8:56:08
Thank you for being here, and our beloved former governor David Patterson, you already know.
8:56:14
Thank you both for hanging out with us all day.
David Paterson
8:56:16
Thank you,
UNKNOWN
8:56:17
madam speaker.
8:56:17
Thank you, madam speaker.
David Paterson
8:56:17
Thank you, madam speaker.
David I. Weprin
8:56:19
Thank you, madam speaker.
Keith Powers
8:56:20
Patience and your test morning.
David Paterson
8:56:21
There's no charge for this testimony.
David I. Weprin
8:56:23
By the way, we we win the same law school class at Hovstra Law.
Keith Powers
8:56:27
Alright.