De Blasio says NYPD corruption scandal pre-dates him and Bratton

Days after federal prosecutors arrested three NYPD commanders on corruption charges, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio stressed the investigations centered on activity and allegations that pre-dated his mayoralty and Police Commissioner William Bratton’s command.

During an unrelated press conference Thursday, De Blasio noted the NYPD’s Internal Affairs Unit began examining the alleged misbehavior before the FBI got involved. And although the mayor said the arrested personnel represent a “very small” portion of NYPD brass, he did not mince words, calling it “very disturbing” that active-duty cops had allegedly provided on call police services to two men who showered officials with $100,000 in private jet flights, overseas hotel rooms and jewelry. The two men accused of bribing the police officials, Jeremy Reichberg and Jona Rechnitz, were major de Blasio campaign donors, but the mayor has repeatedly said he was not familiar with the two and that they never received favorable treatment from him in exchange for their support.

“The higher up you go up the food chain, the more responsibility you take on, and the more you’re supposed to be an example to others. So I don’t know how someone gets to the kind of ranks we’re talking about and does something so stupid and so venal,” de Blasio said of the arrested NYPD officials. “These instances began before Commissioner Bratton and I were in office. And the U.S. attorney said very affirmatively they had nothing to do with City Hall, they had nothing to do with me.”

Despite the timeline, during a congressional primary debate held earlier this week some Democratic candidates vying for retiring Rep. Charles Rangel’s seat said Bratton should step down. The mayor said he did not understand where these suggestions were coming from.

“I would say they’re out of their minds,” de Blasio said. “This is the most effective police commissioner we’ve ever had, and he’s been an agent of reform and progressive change. And he ain’t going anywhere.”