Although he's opposed to the Democratic party candidates' proposal to appoint an Inspector General to overlook the Stop and Frisk policy, Republican mayoral hopeful Joseph Lhota called on the City Council to appoint an inspector general to monitor corruption among City lawmakers.
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Lhota described the allegations against Council Member Dan Halloran and two leaders of county-level Republican organizations in the city as a “stain” on the party — and something he would seek to address in the coming months of campaigning for mayor.
Speaking with Michael Howard Saul, Lhota also focused some of his criticism on discretionary spending by council lawmakers, a process overseen by City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, the Democratic mayoral hopeful, he hopes to face in the general. “There have been so many accusations over the last four to six years about the abuse of member items,” Lhota said. “I think it’s about time that the council seriously consider having an inspector general for itself, to oversee what is obviously an area that is ripe for people with bad character.”
Lhota also pledged that neither Halloran nor Bronx GOP Chairman Jay Savino, who was also arrested in the bribery investigation, will play any role in his mayoral campaign. Both Halloran and Savino endorsed Lhota last month.
“You can’t undo an endorsement, but rest assured Messrs. Halloran and Savino will not be involved in my campaign going forward,” Lhota said. “The actions of Halloran and the actions of Savino are despicable.”
Echoing the same level of confidence as his primary rival John Catsimatids, Lhota doubted it would have an impact on his mayoral campaign. “Since I have no involvement in any of these accusations,” he said, and no one “in my campaign staff is involved in any of these accusations, I will do everything I can to prove that I am a person of integrity and surround myself with people of integrity.”
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