Rudy Giuliani’s former deputy mayor begged lawmakers to hire him as the Big Apple’s top attorney — as he tried to revive his seemingly DOA bid during a brutal hearing Tuesday.
“Madam Speaker, I would be the best lawyer ever, just give me the opportunity I implore you,” Randy Mastro pleaded to City Council members over his dream job. “I will earn your trust.”
Mayor Eric Adams’ controversial nominee for the job of corporation counsel endured a grueling, hours-long interrogation by combative councilmembers who picked apart his last 30 years as a litigator.
The series of fiery back-and-forths in council chambers repeatedly had Mastro defending every aspect of his resume — from his time in the Giuliani administration to his work in clearing former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie in the Bridgegate scandal to his recent lawsuit over congestion pricing in New York.
“How can this council come to trust that you will faithfully represent the interests of all of the city’s agencies, not just the mayor?” Council Speaker Adrienne Adams pressed Mastro on multiple occasions.
“I’ve been doing this for 30 to 40 years, standing up for civil rights, constitutional rights and racial justice,” the seasoned attorney said defending his resume.
“I stood up to mayors and governors and presidents,” he later said when pressed again. “I will call the balls and strikes of whoever I think is right.
“I am ready to serve. I don’t know why my confirmation has become so controversial.”
Mastro was first floated as the mayor’s pick to run the law department earlier this year as the administration moved to force out Judge Sylvia Hinds-Radix.
Hinds-Radix had a falling out with City Hall over a number of legal disagreements, including fallout after she raised questions over the city repping Adams in a decades-old sexual misconduct suit.
Mastro’s nomination faced a seemingly impossible battle out of the gate because of an already-fraught relationship between lawmakers and the mayor’s office — and the unceremonious departure of Hinds-Radix, who was well-liked by the council.
The vast majority of the lawmakers lined up almost immediately against the Mastro after news of the mayor’s pick broke in April.
“If the mayor had a better working relationship with the council, the confirmation would’ve been easy,” one council source told The Post.
“The mayor knows how to make people want to oppose him.”
In surprise appearance more than nine hours into the hearing, a former top executive in ex-New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie slammed Mastro over his “sexist” Bridgegate report that cost taxpayers more $8 million and pinned the scandal on her and one of her colleagues, clearing the governor.
“Confirming Randy Mastro to Corporation Counsel will send a very strong and direct message to every woman who has ever been scapegoated or slut shamed to protect a man in power,” Bridget Anne Kelly said during an emotional testimony in trying to hold back tears.
Former Gov. David Paterson came to the defense of Mastro and skewered the council members for their lines of questioning.
“Many of the city council members are confusing this with ‘so-and-so was a jerk and that was 30 years ago and why would you work with a jerk?’” he told reporters outside the council chambers. “How do you answer a question like that?”
The corporation counsel, lead lawyer for all city agencies, is one of the few spots in New York government that requires the sign-off of a majority of the council.
Mastro tried to make his case Tuesday for the prestigious job, which he has coveted for years, highlighting his role as a federal prosecutor who took on the mafia and repeatedly pointing to dozens of top legal and political minds who testified in support.
He even made the pitch that his successful record of suing the city would serve as a benefit for New Yorkers.
“I could help you with crosscheck legislation so that it would be unassailable,” Mastro said when faced with his legal arguments against New York’s controversial congestion pricing.
The committee hearing was the culmination of series of closed-door meetings where Mastro had pitched his services privately to council members.
Still, his chances for confirmation at the next stated meeting appeared to be no better than they did months ago.
“I think it’s very clear that the votes arent there,” a council source said. “I’m not sure why the mayor nominated him.”
“Poor guy,” the source quipped.
