Days before the New York City Council is expected to convene to vote whether to expel Bronx Councilmember Andy King, attorneys for the embattled legislator say they are weighing legal options against the Council.
The Council's Standard and Ethics Committee recommended expulsion after a months-long investigation that determined King made inappropriate comments to a staffer experiencing a medical condition that led to heavy menstruation; asked another staffer for $2,000 of a $9,500 kickback from a one-time payment King authorized; and even skirted the $15,000 fine imposed on him. The Council is set to vote on Monday.
At a news conference outside his office on East Gun Hill Road, King remained silent as his attorney, Joey Jackson, disputed the findings of a months-long investigation of King. It was the third substantiated investigation against King, 58, who was fined $15,000 for a prior investigation that concluded last year and led to the installation of a monitor.
Jackson compared the Council's treatment against King as a "character assassination" that wouldn't happen to lawmakers representing portions of Manhattan or Brooklyn.
"This hearing, if you could call it that, was never ever a search for justice and a search for the truth," said Jackson, who was joined by his co-counsel, Pamela D. Hayes. "It was always about how we can denigrate and degrade Councilman King, how we can bring him down, and how we can prevent him from doing the fine work that he's been doing."
On the charge that he discriminated against a staffer's medical condition, Jackson said King was merely trying to be helpful.
"How is it on earth do you discriminate against that person when you call them up after they're gone and say, 'Are you good? Can I offer you a turkey on Thanksgiving?'" said Jackson. "Does that sound like discrimination to you?"
Jackson challenged the timing of King asking for the kickback because King was apparently not in the country. "When we indicate that these are the receipts that showed he's flying above the country, the fact of the matter is this same witness comes a week later, changes his testimony completely. And this is the person that this committee says is credible?" said Jackson, who was hoping the charge would be dismissed because the witness had a credibility issue.
The Council has not scheduled a vote on the expulsion of a member since 1979, when Eugene Mastropieri was nearly ousted. In 1949, the Council did vote to remove Benjamin Davis, a noted Communist charged with attempting to overthrow the United States government.
King's removal is supported by Council Speaker Corey Johnson. His departure would trigger a special election that would be announced by Mayor Bill de Blasio three days after the seat is vacated, in accordance to the City Charter. A special election can take place between December 18th and January 8th, 2021.
A spokesperson for the Council assured that constituent services will continue should King be expelled. King's staffers will remain in office as the the Council's Community Engagement Division will be brought in to continue providing services.
But if King remains in office, the monitor installed following the 2019 probe will remain as well.
