Ensuring Public Integrity

To further the District Attorney’s Office’s commitment to combating public corruption, I will create a Public Integrity Unit of the DA’s Office to investigate and where appropriate prosecute public officials who misuse taxpayer or public dollars for personal gain. As the only candidate with experience in the DA’s Office’s legendary Rackets Bureau, which investigates corruption and criminal enterprises I believe I am the most qualified to prosecute complex public corruption cases.

Residents of Manhattan – and across New York State – have the right to expect their elected officials to serve in an ethical and professional manner. Corruption by the people we trust with our votes and dollars undermines the faith we have in our government and the morale of the hardworking men and women in public service. The District Attorney’s Office must continue to be fully engaged in the battle to eradicate corruption in the public and private sectors.

The Public Integrity Unit would be housed inside the Rackets Bureau, and would:

• Investigate and prosecute cases where public servants engage in criminal misuse of public funds or misuse their office for personal gain;
• Root out corruption in city agencies that affects the quality of life for small business owners;
• Investigate and prosecute corrupt conduct where it exists in law enforcement and in the justice system;
• Investigate and prosecute charges of elections, campaign and voter fraud.

The Public Integrity Unit will consist of a dedicated team of veteran Assistant District Attorneys and specialized investigators who will:

• Staff a dedicated hotline where citizens can provide tips about corruption;
• Use the most modern law enforcement techniques to detect and root out corruption;
• Work cooperatively with local and state agencies to identify problem agencies and implement programs to prevent corruption before it can occur.