New York’s comptroller sues Mayor for spending nearly $7bn without supervision

Scott M Stringer, the Comptroller for New York City has sued Mayor Bill de Blasio for spending $6.9 million of taxpayers' money to procure equipment and drugs during the COVID-19 pandemic without proper supervision. "Millions of dollars on supplies that never materialized. Ventilators that were never delivered. $8 million for N-95 masks that weren’t actually N-95 masks. We must bring back the transparency and accountability that New Yorkers deserve," Stringer said. Stringer’s lawsuit aims at bringing back the city’s procurement laws which were suspended by the Mayor last year. 

'Overpurchasing' and 'overpayment' 

Last year, as New York City’s coronavirus caseload increased overwhelmingly, de Blasio ordered the suspension of the city's procurement rules. The procurement protocols maneuver the city’s procurement capabilities and ensure that there is no waste. However, their suspension led to city agencies issuing hundreds of contracts to obtain personal protective equipment (PPE) and to pay for its contact tracing efforts as well as finance the city's tangible costs. 

However, all this happened without the absence of the Comptroller's knowledge, who is required to approve such contracts. De Blasio since then extended the emergency order, even as the pandemic subsided as alleged by New York Times. In the lawsuit, which was filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, Stringer claimed that since the order was issued, New York City’s agencies had spent more than US$6.9 Billion of taxpayer’s money without proper supervision leading to many “overpayments” and “overpurchasing”. 

“Mayor de Blasio’s ongoing suspension of procurement rules continues to expose the City to waste and fraud. Over 15 months after this order was first issued, there is no excuse for this flagrant violation of the Charter and affront to the basics of good government. Enough is enough — my office is faced with no other option than to take legal action to re-establish the checks and balances that exist to protect taxpayer dollars,” said Comptroller Stringer. “As we work toward a strong post-pandemic recovery, the Mayor cannot continue to enable unscrupulous spending, unvetted vendors, and misuse of taxpayer dollars. New Yorkers deserve real accountability — I urge the Mayor to finally make this right.”

Image: AP