Mayor Mamdani Takes Major Step Toward Citywide Trash Containerization, Announces Six New Districts

 

Six new districts containerized by end of 2027, with at least one fully containerized district in each borough; all trash off the streets by end of 2031  

  

High-density buildings will place their trash into stationary on-street containers known as Empire Bins  

Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and New York City Department of Sanitation Commissioner (DSNY) Gregory Anderson announced today that six new Community Districts across the city will have 100% trash containerization by the end of 2027. This announcement means that eight of the city’s 59 districts will have zero trash bags on the streets next fall, with the administration committing to full citywide trash containerization by end of 2031.  

   

“In the wealthiest city in the wealthiest nation in the history of the world, no New Yorker should have their sidewalks covered in garbage. By finishing the job on containerization, we will ensure New York City’s streets remain the envy of the world,” said Mayor Mamdani. “We have the plan, we’re investing the money and we’re delivering on the promise of clean, healthy streets for every neighborhood.”  

  

“Containerization is a long overdue step in bringing our city’s trash collection into the modern era, putting an end to the piles of garbage that have become far too common across our city,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Julia Kerson. “We will be hard at work rolling out this program throughout the five boroughs, keeping our public realm clean, safe and enjoyable for all New Yorkers.” 

  

“Neighborhood by neighborhood, we are ending the decades-long era of trash bags on the streets of New York City,” said Sanitation Commissioner Anderson. “Others have talked a lot about containerizing the city’s trash, but we are actually getting it done, delivering cleaner streets and sidewalks, and fewer rats, to every corner of the city.” 

   

Businesses and low-density residential buildings, including single-family homes, are already required to put their trash into smaller “wheelie bins.” Today’s announcement covers trash from higher-density residential buildings, whose building managers will put their trash into stationary on-street containers known as Empire Bins. These Empire Bins are assigned to individual buildings and accessible only to building managers. They will be serviced by North America’s first automated side-loading trucks.  

   

Medium- and high-density residential buildings in the following districts will receive Empire Bins by the end of 2027:  

• Brooklyn Community District 8 (Prospect Heights, Crown Heights, Weeksville)  

• Bronx Community District 2 (Hunts Point, Longwood)  

• Bronx Community District 5 (University Heights, Mount Hope, Morris Heights, Fordham Heights)  

• Manhattan Community District 2 (West Village, SoHo, Little Italy, Greenwich Village, Nolita)  

• Queens Community District 2 (Sunnyside, Hunters Point, Woodside)  

• Staten Island Community District 1 (North Shore)  

   

During the course of the next year, DSNY will assign Empire Bins to all buildings in these districts with more than 30 units. Buildings with 10 to 30 units will be given an option — after extensive one-to-one outreach — to either have an Empire Bin assigned to them or use smaller “wheelie bins,” as all properties with one to nine units are already required to do citywide. This mirrors the successful operation in the first containerized district, Manhattan Community District 9.  

   

The Department of Sanitation is expecting that this expansion will use more than 6,500 Empire Bins for more than 3,500 medium- and high-density buildings.  

   

Trash in Manhattan Community District 9 (West Harlem) has been fully containerized since last June, creating noticeably cleaner streets. Brooklyn Community District 2 (Downtown Brooklyn, Boerum Hill, Brooklyn Heights, Fulton Ferry, DUMBO, Vinegar Hill, Fort Greene, Clinton Hill and Brooklyn Navy Yard) is scheduled to receive Empire Bins this fall.  

   

While the initial West Harlem pilot has performed well for the last 10 months – including during a cold, snowy winter — the previous administration refused to fund or plan for expansion. Today’s commitment lays out a path to full, citywide containerization of trash in just five years.  

   

The initial West Harlem pilot utilized roughly 1,100 Empire Bins to store trash from schools and high- and some mid-density residential buildings. The Empire Bins are serviced by automated side-loading trucks, which DSNY was able to have built years ahead of schedule by developers from Torino, Italy and Hicksville and Brooklyn, New York.  

  

ICE Lodges Detainer for Illegal Alien Who Killed Two Boys in DUI Crash in South Carolina

 

The crash killed 12-year-old Dereon Robinson and 9-year-old Mikhail-Lee Smith

The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released the following statement after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) lodged an arrest detainer for an illegal alien who has been arrested for causing a deadly crash while driving under the influence and allegedly killing two boys in South Carolina.

According to local reports, Eri Otoniel Roblero Perez veered off the road and hit 12-year-old Dereon James Robinson and 9-year-old Mikhail-Lee Smith, who were riding their bikes on the sidewalk. Both boys died at the hospital.

The victims: 12-year-old Dereon Robinson (left) and 9-year-old Mikhail-Lee Smith (right)

Perez, an illegal alien from Mexico, now faces two felony charges of DUI resulting in death, as well as charges of open container and driving without a license.

The suspect: Eri Otoniel Roblero Perez

“This criminal illegal alien from Mexico had no business being in our country, and now two boys are dead because he decided to drive under the influence,” said Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis. “Dereon Robinson and Mikhail-Lee Smith should still be with us today. Our prayers are with Dereon Robinson’s and Mikhail-Lee Smith’s families.”

Perez entered the country illegally at an unknown date and time. He is currently being held at the Spartanburg County Detention Center and has been denied bond.

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Former Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Nasdaq-Listed Company Charged With Operating a Continuing Financial Crimes Enterprise in Multi-Year Scheme to Defraud Investors and Lenders

 

Defendants Falsely Inflated iLearningEngines’ Revenue by Hundreds of Millions of Dollars Through Sham Contracts with Entities They Controlled with Other iLearning Employees, Friends and Family Members

Earlier today in federal court in Brooklyn, a ten-count indictment was unsealed charging Puthugramam “Harish” Chidambaran, the founder and former Chief Executive Officer of iLearningEngines, Inc. (iLearning), and Sayyed Farhan Ali “Farhan” Naqvi, iLearning’s former Chief Financial Officer, with running a continuing financial crimes enterprise, conspiracy to commit securities fraud, securities fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and wire fraud.  The charges arise from the defendants’ years-long scheme to defraud retail and institutional investors in iLearning, a technology company that claimed to provide artificial intelligence (AI)-driven business automation solutions, and to obtain financing for iLearning through materially false and misleading statements about the company’s financial performance.  Chidambaran was arrested this morning in Potomac, Maryland, and will appear this afternoon in federal court in the District of Maryland.  Naqvi was arrested this morning in San Jose, California, and will appear this afternoon in federal court in the Northern District of California.  Both defendants will appear in federal court in the Eastern District of New York at a later date.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and James Barnacle, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) announced the charges.

“As alleged, the defendants exploited investor excitement over the AI boom and presented a rosy financial outlook to investors and lenders that was built on lies.  While the defendants pitched iLearning as a way to revolutionize training and education through AI, the truly artificial part of the defendants’ story was iLearning’s customers and revenues,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “Our Office is committed to protecting investors and holding accountable corporate executives who undermine the integrity of our financial markets for personal gain.”

As alleged in the indictment, iLearning was a Bethesda, Maryland-based technology company founded in 2010 by Chidambaran.  iLearning marketed itself as “an out-of-the-box AI platform that empowers customers to ‘productize’ their institutional knowledge and generate and infuse insights in the flow-of-work to drive mission critical business outcomes.”  iLearning claimed to earn revenue primarily by selling licenses for its platforms to customers, and the company reported rapidly growing revenues that reached $421 million in 2023.

In April 2024, iLearning became a publicly traded company.  In connection with its going-public transaction, iLearning also obtained $40 million in loan proceeds from the New York City branch of a financial institution.  Shortly thereafter, iLearning obtained an additional $20 million in loan proceeds from another New York City branch of a financial institution.  Following its going-public transaction, iLearning’s shares began trading on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol “AILE,” and the company quickly achieved a market capitalization of approximately $1.5 billion.

Unbeknownst to investors and lenders, however, iLearning fabricated virtually all its customer relationships and revenues.  As alleged in the indictment, the defendants inflated iLearning’s revenues through an intricate web of sham contracts with purported customers—often purportedly worth tens of millions of dollars per year.  The agreements were often signed by iLearning employees or family members of iLearning employees posing as senior executives of the purported customers.  The defendants and others at iLearning then created fake information about those purported customers, including, for example, creating a website for a shell entity, to deceive investors and lenders into believing that iLearning’s customers were real.  In other cases, the defendants convinced friends and associates of iLearning executives to enter into sham contracts with iLearning and to lie to iLearning’s auditor, potential investors, and lenders on iLearning’s behalf.

To make it appear as though iLearning was generating revenues from its sham contracts, the defendants “round tripped” money that iLearning received from lenders and investors—sending those funds to purported customers, who, in turn, would send that money back to iLearning.  For example, at Chidambaran’s direction, an associate of Chidambaran, who previously worked as an iLearning vice president, incorporated and opened bank accounts in the names of several purported iLearning customers.  Over the course of several years, the defendants transmitted millions of dollars from iLearning to an account controlled by this individual.  This individual then sent those funds to other accounts he controlled in the names of other entities, before ultimately sending the money back to iLearning. The aggregate value of these round-trip transactions exceeded $144 million.

In August 2024, an investment research firm issued a report alleging that iLearning had materially misrepresented its revenue, including by attributing a significant portion of its reported income to undisclosed related-party transactions.  Following the publication of that report, iLearning’s stock price declined precipitously, erasing a substantial portion of its market value.  When questioned about the contents of the short-seller report, the defendants repeatedly lied to their investors and lenders about the nature of iLearning’s relationship with its largest customers—including by repeatedly denying that its largest purported customer was actually an entity controlled by the defendants and others at iLearning—and directed representatives of their purported customers to lie on their behalf.  iLearning ultimately filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the District of Delaware in December 2024, and the proceedings were later converted to a Chapter 7 liquidation in 2025, marking the collapse of the company.

Prior to iLearning’s collapse, both Chidambaran and Naqvi profited handsomely from their scheme.  In connection with iLearning’s going-public transaction, Chidambaran received more than $500 million worth of iLearning common stock and subsequently received approximately $12.5 million in iLearning restricted stock units.  Likewise, Naqvi was awarded iLearning common stock worth approximately $11.2 million, and iLearning paid out nearly $4.5 million in cash to cover his tax liabilities.

The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  If convicted of the continuing financial crimes enterprise charge, the defendants each face a mandatory minimum term of 10 years’ imprisonment and a maximum term of life.

NYC Council Marks First 100 Days with Record of Productivity, Oversight, and Results for New Yorkers

 

Council has passed 111 bills, including overrides of 17 Adams-era vetoes, and introduced a record 1,200 bills in first 100 days

Today, the New York City Council marked its first 100 days of the new term by highlighting an ambitious legislative and oversight record focused on affordability, public safety, and making city government work more efficiently for New Yorkers. Under Speaker Julie Menin’s leadership, the Council has responded urgently to the challenges New Yorkers face every day, from access to child care and housing to consumer and worker protections and combatting rising hate.

In its first 100 days, this Council has passed 111 introductions and resolutions in total and introduced more than 1,200 pieces of legislation, more than any other in Council history. During this period, the Council also overrode 17 mayoral vetoes from the previous mayoral administration, more than in the last decade combined, and held 84 oversight hearings. Overall, this marks one of the most active starts to a legislative session in recent history.

The Council has made affordability a central focus, including efforts to implement universal child care across the five boroughs. That work has included elevating child care as a priority through the creation of a new, standalone Subcommittee on Early Childhood Education, advancing legislation to require the Department of Education (DOE) to report quarterly on invoice payments to child care providers to address chronic late-payment failures, and streamlining child care program permitting.

“In our first 100 days, the Council has passed major legislative packages and laid a strong foundation for the work ahead. The results speak for themself,” said Speaker Julie Menin. “We have moved with urgency to deliver results for New Yorkers while governing responsibly. I am proud of our early progress tackling the issues people face every day, including advancing efforts to combat hate, expanding access to child care, cracking down on emergency no-bid contracts, and strengthening worker protections.”

The Council has also prioritized enhancing efficiency and good governance practices with a legislative package to reform the city contract procurement system, adding guardrails against the use of emergency contracts, strengthening protections against false information on the qualifications of bidders for city contracts, and increasing the accessibility of critical information for vendors. The Council also included several creative solutions to identify efficiencies and generate additional revenue for the City while protecting essential services in the Preliminary Budget Response.

Efforts to elevate quality of life for all New Yorkers and improve public safety have also been a top priority for the Council during its first 100 days. As part of the Council’s Five-Point Plan to Combat Antisemitism, the body advanced a legislative package that includes the Schools and Houses of Worship Access and Safety Act, legislation to enhance public safety, transparency, and accountability by requiring the New York Police Department (NYPD) to develop and publicly post response plans to protests outside schools or houses of worship. The Council also approved a pilot program aimed at improving street cleanliness and ensuring timely removal of snow or ice at bus shelters, bike share stations, and other public spaces.

Chicago Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Conspiring to Provide Material Support to Foreign Terrorist Organization

 

A Chicago man was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) by using social media to encourage attacks on ISIS’s enemies and recruit ISIS members.

Ashraf Al Safoo was a leader of Khattab Media Foundation, a sophisticated online organization that swore allegiance to ISIS and created and disseminated threats and ISIS propaganda on social media and other online platforms. Al Safoo and other members of Khattab created and posted pro-ISIS videos, articles, essays, and infographics at the direction of, and in coordination with, ISIS. Much of Khattab’s propaganda promoted violent jihad on behalf of ISIS, which has been designated by the United States government as a foreign terrorist organization.  In one posting, Al Safoo encouraged Khattab members to post pro-ISIS information “to cause confusion and spread terror within the hearts of those who disbelieved.” In another posting, Al Safoo wrote, “Work hard, brothers, edit the issue into short clips, take the pictures out of it and publish the efforts of your brothers in the pages of the apostates. Participate in the war, and spread terror, the [Islamic] State does not want you to watch it only, rather, it incites you, and if you are unable to, use it to incite others.”

Many of Khattab’s postings included images of violence, celebrations of terrorist attacks and mass shootings in the United States, and encouragement for “lone wolf” attacks in western countries.

Al Safoo, 41, has been in federal custody since his arrest in Chicago in 2018. Al Safoo immigrated to the U.S. in 2008 and naturalized as a U.S. citizen in 2013.

After a bench trial last year in U.S. District Court in Chicago, U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey found Al Safoo guilty of conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, conspiracy to transmit threats in interstate commerce, conspiracy to intentionally access a protected computer without authorization, providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization, and intentionally accessing a protected computer without authorization. Judge Blakey imposed the 25-year prison term during a hearing today in federal court and ordered that it be followed by ten years of court-supervised release.

The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, John A. Eisenberg, Assistant Attorney General for National Security at the Department of Justice, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas P. Peabody of the Northern District of Illinois and Trial Attorney Andrew J. Dixon of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.

New York Physician Pleads Guilty To Multimillion-Dollar Covid-19 Insurance Fraud Scheme

Attorney for the United States, Acting under Authority Conferred by 28 U.S.C. § 515, Sean S. Buckley, announced that ALI RASHAN, a medical doctor and the CEO and founder of ClearMD LLC, a provider of COVID-19 testing services in New York City, pled guilty to fraudulently billing insurance companies for COVID-19 testing services and submitting fraudulent medical records in furtherance of his scheme, causing at least $24 million in losses.  RASHAN pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer. 

“Ali Rashan exploited a public health crisis to bill tens of millions in fraudulent claims purportedly filed on behalf of New Yorkers—costs ultimately borne by New York residents and the public more generally,” said Deputy U.S. Attorney Sean S. Buckley.  “That kind of conduct will be pursued, investigated, and prosecuted.”

According to statements made in court and publicly filed documents in this case:

RASHAN, an anesthesiologist, founded and ran ClearMD LLC (“ClearMD”), which operated medical clinics that offered testing for COVID-19 during the global coronavirus pandemic.  From at least 2021 through 2023, RASHAN, through his ownership and operation of ClearMD, engaged in a widespread scheme to defraud healthcare benefit programs, including Medicare, Medicaid, the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Uninsured Program, and private insurance providers (collectively, the “Insurance Providers”), which ultimately caused losses to the Insurance Providers of over $24 million.

RASHAN opened ClearMD’s first medical clinic in early 2021 and went on to open several others throughout New York City during the pandemic.  ClearMD clinics operated primarily as COVID-19 testing facilities.  Individuals came to ClearMD for a variety of reasons, including for diagnosis after suspected COVID-19 exposure, or to obtain clearance to engage in certain activities, like returning to work or air travel.  ClearMD clinics conducted—and billed for—tens of thousands of COVID-19 tests during the pandemic.

Although the defendant served as ClearMD’s “laboratory director,” he rarely interacted with patients.  ClearMD clinics were typically staffed not with licensed doctors or nurses, but with “medical assistants,” many of whom were college-aged and had no formal training in healthcare prior to working at ClearMD.  Medical assistants swabbed patients and typically put their sample into a machine, which processed the test.  Test results were then emailed to patients.  Medical assistants generally took patient vitals, but there were typically no licensed doctors on site to conduct physical exams of patients, take pertinent medical history, or answer any questions a patient might have.

Even so, ClearMD often advertised itself as a full-service testing clinic.  Many patients who booked an appointment received an email confirmation from ClearMD, which stated that the appointment would include not only a “COVID-19 Diagnostic Test” but also a “Focused patient exam” and a “Follow up telehealth visit to discuss your results.”  In practice, however, patients did not receive the level of care that was claimed in ClearMD’s email confirmations.  Instead, patients typically (1) were not given a “Focused patient exam,” or any physical exam, at the time of testing; (2) were never seen by a qualified healthcare professional and instead interacted only with a medical assistant who performed a swab for a single COVID-19 test; and (3) had no such “telehealth” visit following receipt of their test results, which were instead emailed to them, with no medical guidance.

In addition to advertising services that it ultimately did not provide to patients, during certain periods, ClearMD also routinely billed Insurance Providers for multiple services it did not provide.  For example, RASHAN directed ClearMD to submit or cause the submission of thousands of claims that billed for evaluation and management (“E/M”) services that were never performed and for two to four COVID-19 testing codes, even though ClearMD had administered only a single COVID-19 test to patients.  Insurance Providers were frequently billed as much as $5,000 for a single COVID-19 test administered by ClearMD.

By in or around early 2022, Insurance Providers requested that ClearMD provide documentation, such as progress notes of patient encounters and test results, to support its claims for reimbursement.  At the time, at least one Insurance Provider also requested a refund of millions of dollars that the Insurance Provider believed to have been fraudulently paid to ClearMD.  In response to such requests, the defendant instructed ClearMD staff to write a software program to generate fake medical records to support ClearMD’s fraudulent billings.  Specifically, the defendant instructed ClearMD staff to write software that would fabricate (1) patient progress notes that it could use to justify billing for E/M codes; and (2) test results for patient visits that it could use to justify ClearMD’s billing for COVID-19 testing codes.  Thereafter, ClearMD staff wrote software that created fabricated records.  The fake patient progress notes typically included both information that was collected at the time of patient visits to ClearMD (e.g., vitals such as heart rate, temperature, and blood oxygen saturation) and information that was never collected (e.g., information for physical examinations that never occurred).  Similar to the fabricated progress notes, the fake test result records contained information that was fabricated by ClearMD.  For example, where the full results of a patient’s panel test for COVID-19, RSV, and influenza were not available, the software was written to indicate that the results of the RSV and influenza components of the test were negative.

RASHAN, 42, of New York, New York, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and one count of false statements relating to health care matters, each of which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.  RASHAN will be sentenced by Judge Engelmayer on September 22, 2026.

Mr. Buckley praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Mr. Buckley also thanked the Office of Personnel Management’s Office of Inspector General and the Department of Labor for their assistance in this investigation.

Governor Hochul Announces Start of Construction on Haffen Park Pool Complex in the Bronx

$5 Million NY SWIMS Investment Supports Modernization of Public Aquatic Facility in New York City

Project Advances ‘Unplug and Play’ Initiative To Expand Access to Safe, Modern Recreation Spaces

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the start of construction on the Haffen Park Pool Complex in the Bronx, supported by a $5 million grant through the New York Statewide Investment in More Swimming (NY SWIMS) initiative. The project will modernize the aging facility, improve accessibility and expand opportunities for safe, high-quality aquatic recreation for Bronx residents. Administered by the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY) and overseen by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, NY SWIMS provides competitive matching grants that help communities build and improve swimming facilities across the state.

“Investments like NY SWIMS are helping communities expand access to safe places for families to get outside and swim,” Governor Hochul said. “This project at Haffen Park will transform a long-standing recreational center into a modern, accessible facility that will continue to serve Bronx families for generations to come. Through our Unplug and Play initiative, we are continuing to create opportunities for New Yorkers to stay active, connect with their communities and enjoy the outdoors.”

The $13.4 million project, led by the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, will fully reconstruct key elements of the Haffen Park Pool Complex, including bathhouse buildings, pool infrastructure and public amenities. The project will deliver upgraded locker rooms, showers, restrooms and lighting, along with improvements to finishes, furnishings and mechanical systems.

The reconstruction will also include a fully accessible public entrance, ADA-compliant pathways throughout the facility, and enhanced access to the wading pool area. Additional upgrades include a reconstructed pool deck, new filtration systems, improved landscaping and the creation of flexible public spaces for recreation and seating, while preserving historic design elements of the site.

Through two rounds of the NY SWIMS, New York State has awarded $200 million to support 57 projects that expand access to safe, modern swimming facilities and strengthen recreation infrastructure statewide. The second round of funding awarded more than $63 million to 21 projects, representing over $87 million in total construction investment and leveraging nearly $25 million in local and philanthropic contributions.

NY SWIMS supports projects that modernize or build aquatic facilities, including pools, bathhouses, mechanical systems, accessibility upgrades and supporting infrastructure. Projects are evaluated based on community need, public benefit and readiness for implementation.

The program is part of Governor Hochul’s broader Unplug and Play initiative, which invests in community recreation infrastructure and encourages families to spend more time active and outdoors. These investments help communities respond to extreme heat, expand opportunities for swim instruction and provide safe, welcoming public spaces for year-round and seasonal use.

STATE ASSEMBLYWOMAN JENIFER RAJKUMAR UNVEILS SWEEPING ANTI-CORRUPTION PACKAGE TO BRING GOOD GOVERNMENT TO NEW YORK

 

LEGISLATION CRACKS DOWN ON NO-BID CONTRACTS, EXPOSES INSIDER RELATIONSHIPS, AND RESTORES TRUST IN GOVERNMENT

Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar today unveiled a sweeping package of good government, ethics, and transparency bills to bring unprecedented checks and balances that ensure government works for the people, not the powerful.

Rajkumar’s legislative package takes direct aim at some of the clearest abuses that erode faith in government: no-bid contracts, relationships between contractors and public officials, unauthorized contractors receiving public money, undisclosed lobbying pressure, and big-money influence from corporations doing business with the government.

The Assemblywoman’s package comes following a series of scandals and improprieties involving government contracts, with New Yorkers clamoring for a government where decisionmakers act in the best interest of the people. Rajkumar’s bills will shine light on insider dealings, strengthen safeguards around public contracting, and make clear that spending taxpayer dollars is a sacred trust.

Assemblywoman Rajkumar said, “I have personally seen how corruption at the state and city levels stalls government and stands in the way of helping people. That is why I am proud to introduce this anti-corruption package. New Yorkers are sick of backroom deals, insider influence, and a government that too often serves the well-connected instead of the public. These bills take aim at the loopholes and hidden dealings that let corruption thrive in the shadows, whether through no-bid contracts, undisclosed conflicts of interest, unauthorized vendors, secretive lobbying, or political money tied to government business. I am fighting to restore trust in government, because public service must always belong to the people.”

The comprehensive ethics package includes:

A10881 — Limits the use of no-bid contracts by setting strict, clearly defined conditions on when they are allowed. The bill requires competitive bidding in the absence of a Declaration of Emergency by the Governor: current law gives State agencies a free pass, saying they can award no-bid contracts as long as there are undefined “unusual circumstances”—a fuzzy standard that opens the door to abuse. The bill further requires the state Comptroller to determine that any emergency contracting process was fair, and mandates that all contractors disclose any personal or professional relationships with public officers that could be construed as a conflict of interest.

A10461 — Requires New York City contractors to disclose any personal or professional relationships with public officers, ensuring potential conflicts of interest are brought into the open before contracts are awarded. The bill comes as a response to a series of scandals where contracting decisions had the appearance of impropriety due to personal relationships. This includes the Deputy Commissioner of Real Estate Services at the Department of Citywide Administrative Services contracting with a firm that retained a friend to broker lucrative commercial leases; and New York City Schools awarding over a million dollars to a firm that retained the Schools Chancellor’s brother.

A10462 — Prohibits government payments on New York City contracts to contractors who are not properly authorized, ensuring that all vendors and subcontractors are vetted and approved before receiving taxpayer funds. This bill follows findings from a Comptroller’s audit highly critical of the City’s contracting for migrant services with the firm DocGo: the audit found that almost 67% of reimbursement for DocGo in one period went to unauthorized subcontractors, and DocGo only submitted 29% of its vendors for the required review.

A9559 — Strengthens lobbying transparency in New York by requiring lobbyists to disclose their positions on specific bills, including amendments and appropriations. Current law requires disclosure of clients but not their positions on legislation, allowing ambiguity and the potential for misleading representations about legislative intent. The bill closes this gap and is endorsed by good-government groups Reinvent Albany and NYPIRG.

A826 — Closes a campaign finance loophole allowing businesses awarded contracts in New York City to give big donations. Current law puts a cap of $400 on donations by firms involved in contracts with the City worth at least $5,000. However, contracts on a retainer basis are entered as $1 or even $0 if the final cost is not known, creating a gaping hole in the law’s intent. An expose found that this loophole allowed law firms with lucrative City contracts to donate tens of thousands of dollars. Rajkumar’s bill fixes this by applying the same donation limit for any contract with the potential to exceed $5,000.