Mayor de Blasio Says East New York Won't Turn Out Like Bushwick

The Brian Lehrer Show | Apr 22, 2016

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio talks about the new housing plan for East New York and other city news.

When asked about the investigations into the Board of Elections and the recent suspension of a chief clerk, the Mayor expressed his frustration and said an immediate reversal of the purge has to happen.

"I commend Brigid Bergin for focusing on this issue. This is an example of an area that needs tremendous reform."

He said he's going to exert a lot of leverage to make things right before the elections in June.

"I could not be more frustrated" by ppl getting turned away at polls, says @BilldeBlasio. NYS is far behind rest of U.S. b/c of arcane laws.
— Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) April 22, 2016

Roxanne in the Bronx asks about plastic bag fee.@BilldeBlasio: close to agreement with @NYCCouncil. "We all agree plastic bags have to go."
— Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) April 22, 2016

Caller to @BrianLehrer says he appreciates East New York rezoning but "over 25% of the ppl in ENY will not be able to live in ENY anymore."
— Sally Goldenberg (@SallyGold) April 22, 2016

BdB tells @BrianLehrer caller from East NY that he'll be heading there soon to talk with residents about the rezoning plan that just passed
— Ben Max (@TweetBenMax) April 22, 2016

.@nahmias Mayor @BilldeBlasio's response: I have to be straight-up with you…I haven’t experienced the new lights. I’m going to look into it.
— Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) April 22, 2016

The Mayor also addressed the recent investigations into his own fund-raising, saying he has complied with rules at every step.

"I think money should be out of politics entirely...Anything that we do that encourages more and more wealthy people to be in leadership positions because they're self-funding and somehow we think that's going to liberate us from a set of problems - it's the other way around. It only digs into a set of problems when people with privilege and power then also have political power."

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