A bad signal on Wi-Fi pick
Exec conflict of interest rap
AN EXECUTIVE at a computer firm just picked to put Wi-Fi in payphones was cited by city investigators for breaking conflict of interest rules, the Daily News has learned.
The Department of Investigation found Robert Richardson broke rules meant to keep former city workers from using their City Hall connections for personal benefit.
Months after leaving his city gig, Richardson improperly lobbied a former city colleague about hiring his employer, Control Group, documents obtained by the News show.
Control Group is on the team the de Blasio administration picked to transform thousands of payphones into free Wi-Fi kiosks. Richardson recently jumped back on the city payroll at the city’s Technology Development Corp.
When Richardson was at t Control Group, he was involved d in the Wi-Fi bid, e-mails show.
On Thursday Public Advo--cate Letitia James told Thee News she’ll investigate Richard--son’s role in the bid process.
“We seek additional informa--tion regarding the activities off Robert Richardson,” James wrote to Deputy Mayor Anthony Shorris. “The revolving door between government and the private sector in this instance raises many serious questions.”
Richardson’s conflict of interest emerged in a July 2013 DOI report obtained by The News revealing that 10 months after leaving the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications, Richardson contacted a former colleague with that agency.
Richardson questioned him about a new tech project for which DoITT was seeking bids. Eventually Control Group got the job, though the colleague told the Department of Investigation he provided no insider help to Richardson.
Richardson told probers he contacted DoITT about the pending “request for proposal” because “of pride that one of his ideas … contained in the RFP was now coming to fruition.”
De Blasio officials said Thursday Richardson didn’t help pick Control Group, and said investigators found no evidence his contact compromised the bid on the other pact.