October 31, 2009--Bill deBlasio, questioned today outside the gated yard of his Park Slope home, gave evasive answers to "Ask de Blasio Why" organizer and council district constituent Elizabeth Ely. And he asserted that the city's policy on the enrollment of children in drug trials had been changed to his satisfaction.
For our comments on this policy, see here. It is hardly an effective safeguard.
Council member Bill de Blasio tells the Voice that he isn't satisfied with the state's answer [refusing to release the medical records to investigators] and that, within the next few months, he plans to sponsor a bill requiring the state to release the records to [the] Vera [Institute of Justice]. "If you push, there's always a way," de Blasio says.
So where is the bill? The "next few months" since this March 31 article have passed.
He also denied that the Vera Institute of Justice's investigation was completely satisfactory to him, but declined to give particulars.
When asked for any specifics -- at all, about anything -- de Blasio retreated into accusations that Ely was being "disrespectful," even though Ely made clear her intention to post his answers on this Web site and give him time to answer in writing if necessary. ("Ask de Blasio Why" is prepared to back de Blasio's bid for Public Advocate if he answers our questions satisfactorily.)
For example, de Blasio claimed he had "held hearings and press conferences" on the issue, but Ely pressed him for some specific actions these had led to. She helped jog his memory with the resolution he announced by press conference and press release on January 28, 2009, calling for the release of the children's medical records. "Where is the resolution?"
De Blasio replied that he was working on this "on the policy level," forgetting for a moment that he had already said he was pleased with the city's new policy.
"If you send me the resolution, I will post it on the Web site and issue a public apology," Ely said.
"We're working on it," said de Blasio as he retreated to his front door in response to an offer of a public apology.
"Working on it. Holding hearings and press conferences. Not answering any questions specifically. This is the de Blasio way, 'standing tall' against a five-foot-five constituent who wants real answers and is willing to publish them," says Ely. "Of course, he probably never dreamed that this would become an issue in affluent Park Slope. This isn't where these foster kids come from."
"Ask de Blasio Why" understands that the answers to these questions may be more complex than a simple, on-the-street remark can give. We hope de Blasio will assure us that he is truly "working on the city and state level" to protect our kids -- with specific, in-writing answers to our questions. In fact, we will get behind him on any truly effective action he chooses to get the medical records released, change the city's policy in a way that really does give them the rights guaranteed them under the Nuremberg Code (we cite principles 9 and 10 in connection with the New York City scandal), and get justice for these kids.
We're waiting. Because if you push, there's always a way.
