Lucy Lang Releases Plan To Root Out Public Corruption In New York City

Equal Justice For All: Manhattan DA Candidate Lucy Lang Releases Plan To Root Out Public Corruption In New York City

Lang to Create Robust Public Corruption Unit, Establish Process for Anonymous Reporting of Official Misconduct

March 21, 2021

Today, Manhattan District Attorney Candidate Lucy Lang released a comprehensive plan to root out public corruption in the city -- an underreported issue that has devastating effects on New Yorkers and erodes the legitimacy of our public institutions. As the next Manhattan District Attorney, Lang will ensure that all allegations of public corruption -- including perjury, bribery, misconduct, fraud, and more -- are taken seriously and investigated thoroughly.

Public corruption includes both official corruption, or unlawful behavior by public servants, as well as breaches of public integrity, or criminal conduct committed by elected officials. As part of her plan, Lang will build a robust Public Corruption Unit to proactively investigate criminal conduct by public servants and elected officials, staffed with full-time lawyers and investigators who will be dedicated to investigating and prosecuting those who violate the public trust. This standalone unit will collaborate with local agencies, rather than cede responsibility for these critical investigations to federal authorities or other agencies not solely accountable to Manhattanites. Lang will also invest in a full-time legal staff within the Public Corruption Unit to oversee investigations into police misconduct and brutality, as outlined in her plan to promote police accountability.

Additionally, Lang will establish a publicly-advertised process for anonymous reporting of official misconduct. As public corruption is ultimately a crime of power, people who are aware of instances of official misconduct may refrain from reporting or addressing it due to fear of retaliation or alienation from entrenched officials, including law enforcement.

“As the next Manhattan District Attorney, I’m committed to ensuring that all public servants and elected officials -- no matter how powerful or well-connected they may be -- are held to the same standards of justice as every New Yorker,” said Manhattan District Attorney Candidate Lucy Lang. “Public corruption is a betrayal of trust that hurts New York families and undermines the legitimacy of our institutions. No one is above the law, and any attempt to pursue personal profit or political self-interest over public duty will simply not be tolerated.”

As the next Manhattan district attorney, Lang will:

Build a robust Public Corruption Unit (“PCU”) to proactively investigate criminal conduct by public officials and law enforcement. Under Lucy’s administration a standalone unit of full time lawyers and investigators will be dedicated to investigating and prosecuting public officials and law enforcement who violate the public trust. The unit will collaborate with federal and state agencies on these critical investigations, and will take a proactive approach by analyzing data from various public data streams to help identify corruption hotspots. This Unit will report directly to the District Attorney, and all decisions will be subject to a look-back by the DA’s general counsel as a check against subconscious bias.
Invest in full-time legal staff within the PCU to oversee investigations into police misconduct and brutality, as outlined in Lucy’s plans for Police Accountability.
Create a publicly advertised process for anonymous reporting of official misconduct. By its very nature corruption is a crime of power, and the people most aware of it may fear retaliation and alienation from entrenched officials, including law enforcement, should they attempt to address it. As DA, Lucy will build and publicise a secure process for whistleblowers to report corruption concerns.
Focus on common practices within private industries where corruption can take root. The PCU will proactively monitor private sector practices that have high likelihood of public corruption incidents, and in such instances will share data and resources with the Economic Crimes Bureau. For example, officials who violate competitive bid processes by giving public contracts to specific private contractors leads to more taxpayer money spent, less qualified workers, and a disproportionately negative impact on minority- and women- owned contractors. The PCU will seek to effectively address wrongdoing by public officials that enables and encourages malfeasance in the private sector.

To learn more about Lucy’s priorities, visit her plans page.