While Workers Receive Penalties, de Blasio Defends Commissioner Who Broke Rules

Mayor Bill de Blasio and Police Commissioner James O'Neill hold a crime statistics press conference at the Edward Byrne Police Athletic League Center in Queens.

Mayor Bill de Blasio denied City Hall has a double standard related to penalties for misusing city vehicles.

"Each situation is individual," de Blasio said Thursday at a press event announcing the April crime statistics.

Earlier this week, a Sanitation worker and his partner were suspended without pay for driving their truck off their route and sitting in a vacant lot for more than half an hour. The driver was suspended for 10 days without pay; his partner for 7 days.  

A City Housing Authority worker who took his mom furniture shopping for an hour in a car that wasn't assigned to him was also suspended for 10 days without pay.

The City Conflicts of Interest Board says the law prohibits employees from using city vehicles for any non-official purpose.

A recent report found Correction Commissioner Joseph Ponte used his city issued SUV to drive out of state for 90 days last year. De Blasio said Ponte was given bad advice "from multiple sources."

But the mayor refused to condemn Ponte’s actions.

"I believe 100 percent he thought he was doing what his staff guided him to do. He thought he was doing the right thing. He never intended to do anything wrong," said de Blasio.

The mayor said the Conflicts of Interest Board will determine whether Ponte should face penalties.

"I respect their ability to do that," de Blasio said adding, "I’m not going to tell them what to do."