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Bloomberg Still Trying To Flip One Council Member To Save Racial Profiling
By
Max Rivlin-Nadler
Published Jul 24, 2013
Modified Jul 25, 2013
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left, blue tie
By
Max Rivlin-Nadler
Published Jul 24, 2013
Modified Jul 25, 2013
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Mayor Bloomberg has been clear from day one how he's felt about the Community Safety Act, which would place an Inspector General to overlook the practices of the NYPD, as well as open up the Police Department to lawsuits that allege racial profiling (which the NYPD gleefully practices). Yesterday's mayoral veto of the Community Safety Act was long expected, even down to the timing of it—the veto has to be overridden within thirty days of the next council meeting, meaning that the vote will be taken in late August, about when half the council goes on vacation. Bloomberg is hoping the temptation of a late-August escape is just too much for some weak-willed council member.
Bloomberg says he's trying to save New York from a crime wave the likes of which hasn't been seen for some time (in his vision, crack epidemic + 9/11 + The Warriors). Writing his veto, Bloomberg called the Community Safety act, "dangerous and irresponsible.” Other conservatives, like the editorial board of the Daily News, believe the Community Safety Act to be "two of the most short-sighted, wrong-headed and just plain dangerous pieces of legislation ever passed by the New York City Council."
While the NYPD seems destined to have an Inspector General (barring any Bloomberg-backed lawsuit), the law that would protect citizens against racial profiling is on precarious footing. Bloomberg just needs a single council member to flip sides and vote against an override, dooming minorities in NYC to an eternity of Stop & Frisk.
Considering the cost of, uh, persuading a New York politician is pretty low, one wonders what it would take for Bloomberg to find a council member who would like to have their own Bermudan estate sweet post-City Council political appointment? It should be a long, nervous month for supporters of the Community Safety Act, but they're sticking together.
“We anticipated that he [Bloomberg] would make it as difficult as possible — that’s what he’s done,” Councilman Jumaane D. Williams told the New York Times. “That’s why we’ve been organizing everybody’s vacation schedule together.”
Tagged
bloomberg
Community safety act
racial profiling
stop and frisk
Max Rivlin-Nadler
Max Rivlin-Nadler has been a contributor to Gothamist since 2013. He has also reported for the New York Times, NPR, and The Intercept. His years-long investigation into New York City's arcane civil forfeiture laws led to a series of reforms which altered a practice that had been taking millions from poor communities for decades. Recently, he brought back a surfing habit from a few years on the west coast, and would love to see you all out in the Rockaways.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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