Council Member Robert Holden praised the city’s Conflicts of Interest Board (COIB) this week following a historic settlement reached with former Mayor Bill de Blasio over the improper use of a publicly funded NYPD detail during his ill-fated 2019 presidential campaign.
The long-awaited settlement comes after years of investigation, legal wrangling, and growing public scrutiny. De Blasio has agreed to pay $319,000 in restitution to the city and an additional $10,000 fine, marking the largest financial penalty in COIB’s history.
The former mayor made an initial payment of $100,000 this week and will continue to pay the remainder through quarterly installments over the next four years.
Holden, who has publicly criticized de Blasio and called for an investigation into his conduct, did not hold back in his response to the news.
“In 2021, I publicly called for investigations into Bill de Blasio’s blatant abuse of taxpayer dollars during his embarrassing run for President,” he stated.
“After years of dodging accountability, the former mayor has finally been forced to admit wrongdoing and settle with the Conflicts of Interest Board. While the city hasn’t yet been made whole, this settlement ends years of litigation and requires de Blasio to begin paying back nearly $330,000 in taxpayer funds. His arrogance and misuse of public resources caused lasting damage to this city—but at long last, justice is catching up.”
The controversy stems from a 2021 report by then-Department of Investigation Commissioner Margaret Garnett, which concluded that de Blasio had misused his NYPD security detail while campaigning across the country. The report found that city taxpayers footed the bill for travel, meals, and lodging for the officers assigned to him during 31 campaign-related trips.
Although his campaign had been warned in advance that it would be responsible for these expenses, the city was nonetheless charged for the costs.
In 2023, the COIB ordered de Blasio to repay the full $319,000 in restitution and imposed a record $155,000 fine. De Blasio pushed back, suing the board and claiming its sanctions violated his First and 14th Amendment rights.
In January, Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Shahabudden Abid Ally swiftly rejected his legal arguments, calling them “remarkable” and “meritless.”
Ultimately, the settlement required de Blasio to drop his appeal. In exchange, the COIB agreed to reduce the fine to $10,000, citing his attorneys’ claims that his financial situation made it impossible to pay the full amount. If he defaults on the agreement, however, the full amount, nearly $475,000, will be immediately due.
“Today I settled an outstanding case with the NYC COIB,” de Blasio posted online. “I acknowledge that I made a mistake, and I deeply regret it. Now it’s time to move forward.”
