PBA President Concerned About How Investigation Into De Blasio Aide Has Been Handled
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) - Patrolmen's Benevolent Association President Patrick Lynch said he is ticked off over the way the investigation into a top de Blasio administration aide has been handled by the Department of Investigation and City Hall.
"What I'm concerned with is we want fairness in the process. We want one standard for the elite in City Hall as well as the rank and file worker. If it was a New York City police officer and accusation upon accusation came out, it would be investigated. If they were found to be wrong, they'd be disciplined," Lynch said.
Lynch is asking why those working in City Hall are not being held to the same standard.
Rachel Noerdlinger, the first lady Chirlane McCray's chief of staff, failed to report on a city background check that she was living with her boyfriend, who has been convicted of drug trafficking and manslaughter, WCBS 880's Rich Lamb reported.
DNAinfo.com reported Friday that she and her underage son were in the car in 2011 when her boyfriend was arrested for marijuana possession.
PBA President Concerned About How Investigation Into De Blasio Aide Has Been Handled
In September, Lynch called for Noerdlinger to step down from her position.
The DOI probe did not recommend that she be disciplined and Mayor de Blasio has repeatedly defended her.
"Rachel Noerdlinger is a valued member of our team," reads a statement from City Hall released Friday. "Her experience fighting for social justice and civil rights has helped us follow through on Mayor de Blasio's commitment to combat income inequality and lift up New Yorkers struggling to get by."
Michael Hardy of the National Action Network, and longtime friend of Noerdlinger, says the demands for her to step down because of her boyfriend is nonsense.
"You cannot judge her solely by someone else. He's not doing the job, she is," he said. "She is there because she's a person of integrity, she does her job, she does it well."
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