Brooklyn Council Member Lincoln Restler is aiming to close a legal loophole that allows high-ranking government employees to engage in projects related to their former private sector employers. This move comes in response to an investigation by the I-Team into Nathan Bliss, the Chief of Staff under Mayor Eric Adams, who maintains financial ties with his previous employer, Taconic Partners.
Restler, concerned about the implications of this financial relationship, is currently in the process of drafting a reform bill to address this issue. The timing of Taconic’s selection for a city-owned property deal shortly after Bliss transitioned to his new role raised eyebrows for Restler and prompted a call to action. He emphasized the urgency of closing this loophole to prevent similar conflicts of interest from arising in the future.
The reform bill Restler is working on aims to prohibit individuals entering city government from collaborating with their former employers, whether they are real estate companies, technology contractors, or lobbyists. This legislation, set to be introduced in the Spring, seeks to establish clear guidelines to prevent such conflicts of interest from occurring within the government.
Examination of Bliss’s Response
City lawmakers are closely scrutinizing Bliss’s response to inquiries from the Council Oversight Committee and the Council Economic Development Committee. When asked to disclose the New York City properties included in a Taconic real estate investment fund in which he holds a financial stake, Bliss declined to provide specific details but confirmed that a majority of the addresses lie within Manhattan. Despite reports linking him to Taconic’s lobbying efforts, Bliss asserted that he has no financial interest in the city laboratory project known as “Innovation East.”
Bliss’s interactions with Taconic have raised concerns regarding potential conflicts of interest, especially after it was revealed that the company had contacted him during his tenure in City Hall. While Bliss maintains that he did not influence any Taconic projects while in his role, the nature of these interactions has sparked further investigations into his ties to the private developer.
City Council’s Response and Vote
Following the NBC New York I-Team’s coverage of the real estate deal involving the Adams administration, members of the City Council have taken decisive action to address the situation and seek transparency. The City Council voted 48-0 in favor of allowing Taconic to transform a publicly-owned health lab into private, commercial lab space, located near Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan. Construction on this project will commence after the city-owned laboratory relocates to a more modern facility in Harlem.
Council Speaker Adrienne Adams emphasized that the approval of the Taconic project was based solely on the technical merits of the land-use application and did not reflect the ongoing investigation into the deal’s circumstances. She underscored the seriousness with which the reports of potential conflicts of interest are being treated and expressed support for a thorough investigation into the matter.
As the City Council grapples with the complexities of this case, the need for transparency, accountability, and ethical governance remains paramount. The impact of these decisions on public trust and the integrity of government institutions underscores the importance of addressing conflicts of interest promptly and effectively. The ongoing scrutiny of Bliss’s ties to Taconic serves as a reminder of the vigilance required to uphold ethical standards and ensure the public interest is safeguarded in all government dealings.
