New York Mayor Eric Adams said Tuesday that Staten Island District Attorney should investigate Rudy Giuliani for falsely reporting a crime while campaigning for his son.
Mr Giuliani claims to have been attacked at a Staten Island supermarket, leading to the arrest of an employee there named Daniel Gill. But videos later received from the New York Post show Mr Gill patting Mr Giuliani on the back, seriously undermining Mr Giuliani’s allegations that he was physically assaulted and nearly knocked down.
These allegations were reinforced by Mr Giuliani’s son, Andrew Giuliani, who is running for the Republican nomination for governor in Tuesday’s primary.
Eventually, prosecutors dropped their charges against Mr. Gill from second-degree assault, felony, third-degree assault, second-degree harassment and third-degree threat, all crimes. Mr Gill spent more than 24 hours in police custody.
On Tuesday, Mr Adams said prosecutors should turn their attention to Mr Giuliani.
“I think the district attorney made the wrong person he’s investigating,” Mr Adams said during an unrelated media presence in Haarlem. “Reporting falsely on a crime is a crime. If this video wasn’t there, then this man would be accused of punching the former mayor. “
Mr Adams said he was talking to Police Commissioner Kichant Sewell about whether Mr Giuliani’s actions were a crime.
“When you watch the video, the man actually walked over and patted him on the back,” Mr Adams said. “It was clear he had not been hit in the head. It was clear he didn’t feel like a bullet. It was clear he would not fall to the ground.
Mr Giuliani did not respond to a request for comment. The Legal Aid Society, represented by Mr Gill, has no immediate comment.
“The prosecutor’s office declined to comment until the case was opened and investigated,” said Ryan Lavis, a spokesman for Michael McMahon, Staten Island County Attorney.
“What if we didn’t have the video?” The mayor asked on Tuesday. “This man would be charged with a felony when all he did was pat him on the back. You can’t make sensations to run your own agenda, and you can’t use the police to run your own agenda. “
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