Bo Dietl Vows To Run As Independent After City Republicans Deny His Bid For Mayor

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The city's Republican party leaders have decided former NYPD detective Bo Dietl cannot run in their primary for mayor.

Dietl tried to run against Mayor Bill de Blasio in the Democratic primary but a judge said no because of a paperwork problem.

During a candidate forum last week, Dietl made a remark comparing the judge's appearance to that of the mayor's wife, New York City's First Lady Chirlane McCray. Both women are black.

"And I said it as a joke, no malice in it," Dietl told WCBS 880's Alex Silverman. "There was no racism in it."

De Blasio slammed Dietl over the remark and the comment also drew criticism from GOP mayoral candidates

Dietl believes the uproar led Republican leaders to refuse to give him the exemption he would need to run in their primary, Silverman reported.

"And they're really afraid of me," Dietl said, offering up another explanation. "You know why they don't want to vote for, why they don't want me to go in there? Cause I'm not going to give these party leaders money."

Dietl said either way he'll get on the ballot.

"Everyone's trying to keep me from running but they can't keep me from running as an independent, which I will and I'll accept any of the party lines which I'm working on a couple of them," Dietl said. "I will get more votes than the Republican nominee I can guarantee."

In addition to being a former NYPD detective, Dietl is also a businessman, an author, and an actor. Among his credits is a star turn in "Wolf of Wall Street" with Leonardo DiCaprio.