The Division of Investigation could be overhauled and given new powers – together with the authority to prosecute corrupt authorities workers — if a outstanding white-collar lawyer operating for mayor wins the race.
The company could be rebranded the “Citywide Division of Public Integrity” and depend on a workforce of “elite anti-corruption prosecutors” who’d quick observe instances by a newly created NYC Corruption Courtroom beneath mayoral candidate Jim Walden’s plan.
“This reimagines DOI and switch it into one thing extra just like the [U.S.] Division of Justice,” Walden informed The Publish.
Beneath present regulation, the DOI can solely prosecute misdemeanors, so Walden stated he’d push for laws additionally permitting it to deal with felonies and supply whistleblowers amnesty in change for cooperation.
The workplace could be impartial like DOI, however its commissioner would serve a 10-year time period somewhat than on the pleasure of the sitting mayor and Metropolis Council.
Walden, a former federal prosecutor who additionally has lengthy historical past of representing elected officers and different shoppers in instances involving Large Apple politics, is at the moment dealing with a lawsuit not directly tied to federal bribery costs pending towards Mayor Eric Adams.
The Brooklyn Heights resident attributed his need to create the brand new division to “23 years of suing businesses and seeing corruption in every single place after which residing by three-and-a-half years of a federal investigation into [former Mayor] Invoice de Blasio and an indictment of Mayor Adams.”
Walden jumped within the race two months in the past and is operating as an apolitical impartial, attempting to take a web page from former Mayor Mike Bloomberg’s playbook by in search of assist from each the left and proper.
Though he lacks Bloomberg’s billions, he did jumpstart his marketing campaign with a $500,000 private mortgage.
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