Randy Mastro, the villainous lawyer who authored a whitewash report on the Bridgegate scandal and now represents New Jersey in a lawsuit against New York on congestion pricing, appears to be returning to New York City Hall as corporation counsel, the New York Times has reported.
The report says that New York City Mayor Eric Adams is pushing out Sylvia Hinds-Radix and replacing her with Mastro, someone who is viewed as more malleable and with fungible principles.
“They’ve been trying to force her out because she’s not the puppet they wanted her to be,” the New York Post reported a source as telling them.
Mastro held the corporation counsel post when Rudy Giuliani was mayor.
Earlier this month, Mastro argued New Jersey’s side in a federal lawsuit seeking to block New York’s implementation of congestion pricing – a $15 toll – without an adequate review of its impact on the state. The case has been fast-tracked.
His possible departure won’t necessarily impact the congestion pricing case – his co-counsel at King & Spalding, former U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito, remains on the file, but there will likely be concerns that Mastro can’t be trusted to fully adhere to the attorney-client privilege he has with New Jersey.
Christie handpicked Mastro in 2014 to conduct an internal investigation following the lane closures at the George Washington Bridge and to probe allegations by Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer that Hurricane Sandy relief money was being withheld until she approved a local development plan favored by the governor.
Mastro’s $8 million investigation exonerated Christie. A federal judge later bashed Mastro for the way he conducted his probe. Mastro didn’t keep notes of his witness interviews.