Mayor de Blasio and challenger Sal Albanese fought a war of words over government corruption, a statue-removal commission and pockets of high crime across the city during the second and final Democratic primary debate Wednesday night.
Hizzoner began the hour-long face-off defending his administration’s record, which includes several year-long probes of his political fundraising operation that didn’t yield indictments, but prompted prosecutors to admonish him.
“We need a higher standard for mayor than not being indicted,” said Albanese, echoing a comment he made in the first debate. “We need a government that people believe in, that you don’t need to be a big donor to get access to government.”
De Blasio responded that he’s “proud of the ethical standards we set,” but then dodged a question on whether the mayor should be required by law to publicly report when political donors ask him or top administration officials for favors.
Thousands of emails the administration has released over the past year — in response to public disclosure law requests from the media — have shown donors repeatedly getting access to top level officials and often making requests for favors.
De Blasio has insisted that no special treatment was given and that all decisions by his administration are based on the merit.
“I think the laws we have right now make a lot of sense,” de Blasio said about a hypothetical new requirement to report all requests made from donors. “I’m very content with the system we have now.”
Albanese said he “absolutely” thinks such a law should be passed.
The two also fielded questions about whether the Christopher Columbus statue should remain in Columbus Circle. In the wake of violence sparked by white nationalists in Charlottesville, Va., de Blasio has said he would set up a commission to review sculptures and monuments in the city that might cause offense or divisiveness.
The mayor announced the commission weeks ago but has yet to appoint a single member, and repeatedly refused on Wednesday to provide his own opinion on whether Columbus should get the heave-ho.
“I don’t think it makes sense for me to opine on issue by issue,” he said. “We are setting up an objective and smart process.”
Albanese countered that the commission is not the answer.
“I don’t need a commission to tell me that the Christopher Columbus statue should not come down,” he said.
Albanese also slammed the mayor’s launching of a citywide debate over the morality of historical figures as “very divisive,” and jabbed the mayor for withholding his own opinion on Columbus.
“Your ally [Council Speaker] Melissa Mark-Viverito wants to take the statue down and you don’t have the guts to say no to her,” he said.
Albanese, who served as a City Councilman representing Bay Ridge from 1983 to 1997, is considered a long shot in the September 12primary, which includes three other candidates.
He threw fewer punches compared to an earlier debate two weeks ago, and made more of an effort to introduce himself — including by dubbing his immigrant upbringing “The New York City story.”
But he did hit the mayor over the lack of trust he has from police officers, and for crowing about a school system where too few students are passing standardized tests or graduating college-ready.
De Blasio shot back that Albanese’s criticisms – including over pockets of crime in the city – were denigrating police officers and teachers.
The mayor was also asked what he would tell his son Dante today about how to interact with police. Following the killing of Eric Garner at the hands of a police officer in 2014, the mayor had angered police union officials by saying he told his son to take great care when dealing with police.
“He’s an adult now. He makes his own decisions,” de Blasio said of Dante, who has completed his first year at Yale University. “What I would say is ‘Always respect the specific instructions of a police officer, listen to them, do exactly what they say.’ That’s what I’ve always said, and I think that’s the right approach for people of any background.”
Despite constant bickering over facts, the debate did feature a number of lighter moments — including when both candidates were asked whether they currently or previously smoked marijuana.
Albanese told the moderator, “I hope you don’t think I’m a square, but I’ve never smoked marijuana.”
The mayor said he’s only smoked once or twice when he attended New York University and that he doesn’t puff now, but added, “Some days I wish I did.”