A Democrat comptroller in New York, that was arrested for obstructing ICE approved $500 million in contract to non-profits tied to his wife.
Brad Lander’s wife, Meg Barnette, is the President and CEO of Nonprofit New York, an advocacy group for non-profits.
Lander, also a Democratic mayoral candidate, was released without charges after Governor Kathy Hochul stepped in.
He was arrested after trying to stop ICE from arresting an illegal migrant following a hearing, by locking arms with the migrant and refusing to let go – while demanding to see a judicial warrant.
Reports say that substantial contracts were funneled to organizations connected to Barnette’s network, raising questions about transparency in Lander’s management of the city’s $100 billion budget.
As comptroller since 2021, Lander oversees pension funds and conducts audits, making the scale of these approvals—a half-billion dollars—a significant point of contention.
Many are now questioning if Lander’s financial oversight as comptroller has been influenced by personal ties.
The Democratic mayoral primary is one week away.
