Lew's View: Mayor de Blasio investigations

Lew Leone is the vice president and general manager of WNYW-FOX 5. He is taking to the airwaves with his thoughts on current affairs. It's called "Lew's View." In this commentary, Mr. Leone talks about investigations connected to the mayor.

One of the reasons why Donald Trump is a real contender for president is that he has always said he doesn't take money from any special interest group.

Mike Bloomberg, like him or not, also couldn't be bought.  But now we have a mayor who, as a politician, appears to set policies that benefit his biggest donors.

That's the main theme in a recent series of investigations, including a potential criminal probe by U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara into several potentially illegal practices of the de Blasio administration.

There are multiple investigations and they are intertwined and complicated.  But essentially they all boil down to one issue and that is the use of money by fundraisers and donors to influence practices, policies and operations of the de Blasio administration.

One investigation is focused on the group NYClass which donated huge sums of money to help de Blasio defeat Christine Quinn in exchange for what they believed was the mayor's promise to ban carriage horses on day one.  The mayor is now denying that banning the industry was a priority.

But we've got him on camera.  You be the judge.

He also denied making any promises, but listen to his friend Russell Simmons.  Again, you be the judge.

De Blasio and team have also been accused of breaking election laws by directly funneling money to specific causes and election campaigns through non-profits.  These allegations are mostly connected to de Blasio's failed efforts to help Democrats gain control of both the New York State Senate and Assembly.

It should be noted that prior to these investigations being made public, de Blasio quietly shuttered his personal non-profit campaign for One New York.  The timing is suspicious now that we know that these investigations have been going on since January.

The third investigation is connected to a complicated New York City real estate deal involving the sale of a nursing home.

De Blasio's approval ratings are at an all-time low.  The quality of life in New York City continues to decline and now we have a mayor who seems to be in way over his head and may end up as part of a criminal proceeding.

The man investigating him just convicted State Assembly leader Sheldon Silver and State Senate leader Dean Skelos.  Will Mayor de Blasio be the next to go?