Common Cause/NY Applauds Appellate Decision, Siding With Public, Not Personal, Interests

NEW YORK, NY (05/01/2018) (readMedia)-- Today, a panel of the Appellate Division, First Department issued a decision in the FOIL case brought by reporters from NY1 and the New York Post affirming the lower court decision requiring full public disclosure of all communications between Mayor de Blasio and and outside consultants, BerlinRosen.

In response, Susan Lerner, Executive Director of Common Cause/NY, issued the following statement:

"Congratulations to the diligent journalists whose victory today is shared by all New Yorkers. Common Cause/NY has always said that the exemption of so called 'agents of the city' from FOIL laws is misplaced and wrong, and we're pleased to see that all five justices on the First Department Appellate Division panel unanimously agree. New Yorkers have a right to know how decisions are being made by their duly elected officials: public, not personal interest, must always be the priority."

Background

In February 2016, Common Cause/NY sent a letter to the COIB and CFB requesting an investigation into Mayor Bill de Blasio's 501 (c) 4 entity called the Campaign for One New York. The Mayor shuttered the Campaign for One New York later that year, but issues still remained.

In May 2016, Common Cause/NY sent a letter to the COIB to review emails from "agents of the city." One of Common Cause/NY's prime concerns relates to the potential for conflicts of interest between:

• The Mayor's use of private consultants with business before the city who may be lobbying on their behalf.

• The way those consultants may also use insider information to benefit their clients.