Dietl calls on feds for new probe
solicited for by the mayor for a failed 2014 effort to flip the state Senate to Democratic control.
In return, he testified, he told Offinger he expected “lots of access” to City Hall and then asked for multiple favors from the mayor’s administration throughout 2014 and into 2015.
Offinger was paid by de Blasio’s 2013 mayoral campaign as fund-raising director from October 2013 through Jan. 15, 2014. He then switched over to become treasurer for the Campaign for One New York.
His Campaign for One New York salary was $180,000 in 2014 and $201,000 in 2015. In 2014, tax forms state he averaged 20 hours of work a week. He switched to de Blasio’s reelection campaign in November 2015, and has been there since.
In late 2014, he was also soliciting checks as part of de Blasio’s effort to steer money to upstate candidates to flip the state Senate to Democratic control.
Typically, the mayor would call up a donor and say he’d appreciate their help, then Offinger would follow up with logistics and specific dollar figures.
Rechnitz testified last week that de Blasio personally made such a request, and he responded with a six-figure check, stating, “Once the mayor called me, I felt, it’s a personal favor for him, and I’m going to come through.”
Offinger’s actions were examined by the Manhattan U.S. attorney and Manhattan district attorney in their probes of de Blasio’s fund-raising tactics.
No charges were brought in either probe, but the feds found that de Blasio had intervened on behalf of donors, and the DA said the Senate fund-raising scheme was “contrary to the intent and spirit of the law.”
Offinger’s lawyer Harlan Levy said Monday, “All these allegations against Ross Offinger were fully investigated for almost a year by federal and state authorities, who correctly took no action against him. Mr. Offinger acted appropriately.”
Over the weekend, de Blasio fired back at Rechnitz, who is testifying as a cooperating witness in Acting Manhattan U.S. Attor- ney Joon Kim’s bribery case against former jails union boss Norman Seabrook.
The mayor claimed he barely knew Rechnitz and that he didn’t recall several of the specific interactions and a damaging email Rechnitz referenced in court.
Prosecutor Bell on Monday made a point of asking Rechnitz about the frequency of his communications with the mayor. Rechnitz said he interacted with the mayor via his personal cell phone, his office phone and his personal email “on a weekly basis” before the election. After the election, he said, he met with the mayor “many times.”
Emails released under the state Freedom of Information Law quote de Blasio stating “I’m all ears” when Rechnitz suggested a candidate for buildings commissioner. The candidate wasn’t picked. MAYORAL HOPEFUL Bo Dietl asked U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions to reopen the federal probe into Mayor de Blasio’s fund-raising in the wake of damaging testimony from a major donor.
“I think this witness is a sleazebag, but I don’t think he’s a liar,” the independent candidate said Monday of businessman Jona Rechnitz, who has been the star witness in a corruption trial against former jails union boss Norman Seabrook.
Rechnitz raised $193,000 on behalf of the mayor and told a de Blasio fund-raiser he expected “lots of access” to City Hall in return — and testified he got it.
The Manhattan U.S. attorney’s office opted in March not to bring any charges after an investigation into de Blasio’s fund-raising efforts. Dietl insisted Sessions could direct the Public Integrity Section of the Justice Department to reopen the investigation. “Sometimes you have to use garbage cans like this to tell the truth,” Dietl said.“He’s sleazy, yes, but the mayor’s as sleazy to deal with him. This is two sleazebags in the same bed together.”
Reform Party candidate Sal Albanese asked Gov. Cuomo to appoint a special prosecutor to probe corruption in city government, including pay to play at City Hall. De Blasio has noted that prosecutors were aware of Rechnitz’s claims, which he says are false.