NYC Conflicts of Interest Board Fines Brooklyn Borough President

On Monday, the New York City Conflicts of Interest Board (COIB) announced that it has found that Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz violated the city’s conflict of interest law by bringing his wife along without paying for her on three foreign trips where he was conducting official business.

The Board adopted an Administrative Law Judge’s Report and Recommendation to impose a $20,000 fine for accepting free foreign travel and related accommodations for his wife on three occasions: Turkey in 2007, the Netherlands in 2009, and Turkey in 2009.

COIB noted that Markowitz was conducting official business on each trip and could thus accept free airfare and related accommodations for himself. However, since his wife was not an employee conducting official business, he was required to pay for her travel expenses himself.

The Board said that Markowitz violated New York City Charter Chapter 68, §2604(b)(3), which states:

“no public servant shall use or attempt to use his or her position as a public servant to obtain any financial gain, contract, license, privilege or other private or personal advantage, direct or indirect, for the public servant or any person or firm associated with the public servant.”