City and State TV – July 14, 2015
by Gerson Borrero
In an exclusive interview with City & State TV, Stephen Cassidy, head of the New York City Uniformed Firefighters Association talks about the lawsuit that has been filed against City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito alleging a lack of transparency and lack of open government process in her office.
Speaking to editor-at-Large Gerson Borrero, Cassidy details how the Speaker and her chief of staff, Ramón Martinez, have manipulated the process to prevent a resolution backed by Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley from ever seeing the light of day.
The Crowley-sponsored resolution deals with the disability protection concerns of mostly black and Latino firefighters hired since May 2013.
In the interview, Cassidy is not diplomatic in his criticism of Mark-Viverito’s role, accusing her of anti-democratic practices that resemble those of a third world country. The firefighters leader is also critical of Councilman Brad Lander who is chair of the Rules Committee.
Cassidy believes that the Speaker and her staff are lying and feels that the court will rule in the firefighter’s favor. He also discusses who is supporting the union and will be standing with him at a press conference at city hall at 11 a.m. Tuesday.
Below is an advance copy of the press release detailing the UFA’s claims of lack of transparency.
NY City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito along with Councilmembers including Brad Lander (D-39), Chair of Rules Committee, and Ben Kallos (D-5), Chair of Governmental Operations Committee, have consistently touted the significance of a transparent government, but the UFA lawsuit claims they fail to practice what they preach by disregarding their obligations to public, open transparency.
When Mayor Bill de Blasio signed two transparency bills into law and announcing a public-private partnership to release city record data in August 2014, Speaker Mark-Viverito said, “The Council is committed to making this City government as transparent and inclusive as possible, and making important documents more accessible to the public is a simple, but significant way to contribute toward that goal.” 1.
Similarly after the NY City Council proposed new rules to become more responsive, transparent and effective for the 2014 Council Session, Councilmember Brad Lander stated, “By strengthening members’ offices and making our processes more transparent, the City Council will make itself more accessible and responsive to our constituents.” 2
Additionally when campaigning for Council District 5, Councilmember Ben Kallos said that, “Transparency and accountability are crucial for eliminating government waste and corruption.” 3
The UFA considers the availability of public information under the FOIL integral to New York State’s commitment to providing open, democratic leadership and legislative processes for all New Yorkers, and deems the New York City Council and Council Speaker are no exception.
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