New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer is suing Mayor Bill de Blasio over the use of COVID-19 procurement-related emergency powers.
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On March 17, 2020, as the pandemic escalated, de Blasio issued the executive order which suspended the city charter. His office has since registered nearly $7 billion in coronavirus-related contracts.
“Mayor de Blasio’s ongoing suspension of procurement rules continues to expose the city to waste and fraud,” said Stringer, a failed mayoral candidate who is term-limited as comptroller.
“Over 15 months after this order was first issued, there is no excuse for this flagrant violation of the charter and affront to the basics of good government.”
Mayoral spokesman Bill Neidhardt said the emergency measures were necessary.
“During the greatest challenge our city has ever faced, emergency procurements have saved lives, period,” Neidhardt said. “The comptroller is clearly trying to use this lawsuit to keep himself in the headlines after his failed mayoral bid.”
De Blasio has issued more than 100 emergency executive orders to extend the procurement suspensions.
In the lawsuit, Stringer said he believes the city has canceled $525 million in agreements for virus-related goods and is trying to recover millions of dollars from vendors that failed to deliver,
Insufficient oversight, Stringer said, exposed the city to widespread procurement failures, including overpayment and overpurchasing.
In addition, he said, certain contracts simply did not merit COVID-19 emergency approval. The suit cites contracts with PC Richards & Sons, Jamaica Hardware, Global Medical Supply Group, Digital Gadgets, Cariati Developers and Genuine Parts Co.
Smith, Gambrell & Russell LLP is representing Stringer’s office in the case.
Stringer in November sued the administration to force the city to comply with a subpoena issued related to his investigation into the city’s pandemic-related preparedness.
A judge ordered the city to release records to the comptroller’s office by July 15.
