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Randy Mastro | Attorney Offers Insight Into Accusations Against Mamdani for Colluding on Rent Freeze Initiative · Sid & Friends In The Morning

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  Speaker 1: There is a big story locally here today. It reads,
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  Speaker 1: Mondani accused of colluding on New York City rent freeze
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  Speaker 1: as judge orders city hall to release emails, texts, in
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  Speaker 1: scathing ruling. I am in love. I love this guy,
• 0:18
  Speaker 1: Judge Brendan Landry from Staten Island. This guy is exposing
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  Speaker 1: Mondani as a fixer. This whole thing is rigged. And
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  Speaker 1: nobody knows better than a man that has served this
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  Speaker 1: city under both Rudy Giuliani and Eric Adams and is
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  Speaker 1: now doing an unbelievable job representing New Yorkers with two
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  Speaker 1: different lawsuits, the rent freeze and the second home tax,
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  Speaker 1: my good buddy Randy Mastro. Randy, good morning, pal. How
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  Speaker 1: are you?
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  Speaker 2: Pleasure to be here, Sid.
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  Speaker 1: Great to have you. So this is exciting that the
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  Speaker 1: mayor is being exposed as basically, and whatever I'm wrong about,
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  Speaker 1: just correct me, but what I'm reading is this guy
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  Speaker 1: basically rigged this whole board to make sure that he
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  Speaker 1: was going to get what he wanted, this rent freeze.
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  Speaker 2: Well, that's the overarching theme of the lawsuit. He promised this.
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  Speaker 2: He guaranteed this when he ran for mayor. So how
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  Speaker 2: did he guarantee a rent freeze, unprecedented rent freeze, for
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  Speaker 2: the first time in city history across the board, one-year,
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  Speaker 2: two-year leases across the board? How did he guarantee that
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  Speaker 2: if he wasn't communicating with the board when it was
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  Speaker 2: supposedly independently deciding what increases to impose? It doesn't make
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  Speaker 2: any sense. So this judge, I think, absolutely correctly ruled
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  Speaker 2: that Hey, we got to see what documents there are,
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  Speaker 2: what communications there were, because the city has admitted this
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  Speaker 2: rent guidelines board was supposed to be independent. Well, now
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  Speaker 2: we're going to see how independent it was or it
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  Speaker 2: wasn't and how much the mayor influenced it. Right.
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  Speaker 1: I mean, how could it be independent? And again, if
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  Speaker 1: I'm wrong, correct me. What I'm reading from this is
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  Speaker 1: that he basically he basically put people in position on
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  Speaker 1: this board that were going to agree with him.
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  Speaker 2: He stacks the board, super majority of the board with
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  Speaker 2: his acolytes, people who were largely already on record for
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  Speaker 2: rent freeze. Then he spent millions of dollars on advocacy
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  Speaker 2: campaigns to stack the board meetings with tenant advocates. And
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  Speaker 2: then he has special briefings done by people in the
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  Speaker 2: mayor's office to basically give this board instructions. All that
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  Speaker 2: is going to come out.
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  Speaker 1: And let's say all that does come out, and it
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  Speaker 1: turns out that we find out for a fact this
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  Speaker 1: guy stacked the board, this guy is giving out directions
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  Speaker 1: and instructions to get what he wants. What would the
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  Speaker 1: penalty be at best?
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  Speaker 2: Well, that rent freeze gets invalidated, and the board has
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  Speaker 2: to start over and apply the proper legal standard. There's
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  Speaker 2: a statutory standard. They're supposed to consider the increase in
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  Speaker 2: costs and less income that landlords are suffering too. And,
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  Speaker 2: you know, the board has got to issue a decision
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  Speaker 2: that meets that statutory standard and is consistent with its
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  Speaker 2: own data showing how much landlords are hurting right now
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  Speaker 2: and how much small landlords are in jeopardy of losing
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  Speaker 2: their properties.
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  Speaker 1: If I'm wrong, you are actually representing these landlords right now.
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  Speaker 1: We talked about this last time you were on. There
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  Speaker 1: seems to be this issue that Mamdani just pitches and
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  Speaker 1: complains every day about how horrible Some of these apartments are,
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  Speaker 1: and they need fixing and blah, blah, blah. Some of
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  Speaker 1: these landlords agree. They go, okay, but how am I
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  Speaker 1: going to fix it? How am I going to fix
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  Speaker 1: it if you freeze the rent and I'm not taking
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  Speaker 1: in any money? So, I mean, he wants them to
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  Speaker 1: do something, but at the same time, he's cutting their
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  Speaker 1: balls off.
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  Speaker 2: Well, it's that catch-22, right? Oh, we want you to
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  Speaker 2: offer better apartments, but we're not going to give you
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  Speaker 2: any credit for how much more you have to pay
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  Speaker 2: to do that. Makes no sense. But the fact of
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  Speaker 2: the matter is, look, we should win this case for
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  Speaker 2: many reasons. The decision was arbitrary, capricious, illegal. But at
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  Speaker 2: its core, the reason why it was all of those
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  Speaker 2: things is because this mayor is engineered a sham process
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  Speaker 2: to reach a predetermined outcome. We win either way. It's
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  Speaker 2: an irrational, arbitrary, and capricious decision, first and foremost. But
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  Speaker 2: it's also a decision that this mayor engineered to a
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  Speaker 2: predetermined outcome. Wow.
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  Speaker 1: This is unbelievable. I've got people texting me going, hey,
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  Speaker 1: can you ask Randy what else does this mayor have
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  Speaker 1: to do before Maybe he gets recalled or suspended or
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  Speaker 1: some type of real punishment as we start to find
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  Speaker 1: out more and more really gross things that this mayor
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  Speaker 1: is doing and has done to push across what he promised.
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  Speaker 2: Well, Sid, our system here in New York City doesn't
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  Speaker 2: work that way. Only the governor has authority in... extreme
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  Speaker 2: circumstances to alter the status of an elected official. But
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  Speaker 2: the fact of the matter is that this is a
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  Speaker 2: wake up call to all New Yorkers. You know, your
• 5:29
  Speaker 2: right to vote is precious and you better exercise it
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  Speaker 2: and you better exercise better judgment when you elect a
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  Speaker 2: The officials to represent you, because the consequences can be
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  Speaker 2: seismic in your everyday life. And we're experiencing that right
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  Speaker 2: now in New York City.
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  Speaker 1: You really are. So now you got this the rent
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  Speaker 1: free thing. This freeze seems like that's going to go
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  Speaker 1: the way we want it to go. Let me skip
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  Speaker 1: back to the second home tax, whatever they call it.
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  Speaker 1: I don't know, some stupid French thing. Where are we
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  Speaker 1: with that? Last time I spoke to you, it looked like, A,
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  Speaker 1: you would have to wait too many people, maybe as
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  Speaker 1: many as 8,000, 9,000, and you guys were pretty confident
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  Speaker 1: you'd have to roll out that whole process all over again.
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  Speaker 1: What about today?
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  Speaker 2: Well... First of all, from your lips to God's ears,
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  Speaker 2: a lot of good things are happening, but cases aren't
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  Speaker 2: over until they're over. On the Pieta tear tax, which
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  Speaker 2: is called a surcharge, we're waiting for a decision from
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  Speaker 2: our judge on Staten Island. We had a two-hour hearing
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  Speaker 2: there on August 31st. We expect a decision any day now.
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  Speaker 2: And that's the same judge who said there should be
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  Speaker 2: a temporary restraining order against the city for their botched rollout.
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  Speaker 2: So we remain hopeful that the judge will once again
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  Speaker 2: tell the city, hey, you've got to do it over
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  Speaker 2: again because you screwed up. You didn't do your homework.
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  Speaker 2: You didn't figure out who actually owed the tax. You
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  Speaker 2: tried to switch the burden to homeowners to prove they
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  Speaker 2: live in their own homes, and that's illegal and that's wrong.
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  Speaker 1: Is this the same judge as Judge Landry in both?
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  Speaker 2: No. Judge Landry is in Manhattan. Judge Ozzie is on
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  Speaker 2: Staten Island. And in the New York state system, we
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  Speaker 2: call them justices. And we are hopeful justice will be
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  Speaker 2: done in both cases.
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  Speaker 1: You know, one of the things that I will give
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  Speaker 1: Eric Adams credit for and you. is, look, he certainly
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  Speaker 1: likes the Jewish people. You know, I didn't think he
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  Speaker 1: did enough after October 7th, but that's a whole other story.
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  Speaker 1: He certainly does. And he's pro-Israel, and he gets along
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  Speaker 1: great with Netanyahu. So he's coming here a week from today, Randy,
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  Speaker 1: a week from today, to speak at the General Assembly
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  Speaker 1: at the UN. And this mayor, who you're involved with
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  Speaker 1: court cases all day long, He's talked about arresting him.
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  Speaker 1: He knew. He knew, Randy. He's not stupid. I don't
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  Speaker 1: like him, but he's not stupid. He knew he never
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  Speaker 1: had the authority to arrest B.B., but he doesn't care.
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  Speaker 1: And he knows that when he says stuff like that,
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  Speaker 1: all he's going to do is throw gasoline on top
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  Speaker 1: of an anti-Semitic fire that is burning and raging here
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  Speaker 1: in New York. What are your thoughts on B.B. coming
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  Speaker 1: here a week from today?
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  Speaker 2: Well, first of all, We are the home to the
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  Speaker 2: UN and welcome leaders from all over the world, whether
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  Speaker 2: we like the person leading a country or not. So
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  Speaker 2: it's incumbent upon us as the host city to create
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  Speaker 2: an atmosphere where world leaders can come here and debate
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  Speaker 2: in open forum at the UN. What Mayor Mondani did earlier,
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  Speaker 2: threatening to arrest Netanyahu, you're absolutely right. He must have
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  Speaker 2: realized he had no legal authority. He ultimately admitted that
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  Speaker 2: that was all public relations stunt to appeal to his base.
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  Speaker 2: And his lawyers told him he didn't have the legal authority.
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  Speaker 2: Of course, he didn't have the legal authority. But that's
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  Speaker 2: just outrageous for a mayor to conduct himself that way.
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  Speaker 2: And you are completely right about this. I never thought
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  Speaker 2: I was going to live in a city where anti-Semitism,
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  Speaker 2: hate crimes against Jews were the predominant hate crime in
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  Speaker 2: our city. More hate crimes against Jews than all other
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  Speaker 2: hate crimes combined. Wasn't that way when I was in
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  Speaker 2: City Hall in the 90s? Wasn't even on the radar screen.
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  Speaker 2: But today, hate crimes against Jews more than against all
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  Speaker 2: other groups combined. And it's spiking. In this administration, you
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  Speaker 2: would think a mayor, that's a five alarm fire. You
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  Speaker 2: would think a mayor of a city with the largest
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  Speaker 2: Jewish population in the world, larger than any city in Israel,
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  Speaker 2: would be making a lot of money. that a top
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  Speaker 2: priority instead of stoking the fires. It is shameful.
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  Speaker 1: You know, last one, you worked with Rudy, and I
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  Speaker 1: love Rudy. I still love Rudy. I love him so much.
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  Speaker 1: You know I do, Randy. You know that, okay? But
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  Speaker 1: you probably saw all the articles last week that I
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  Speaker 1: was really upset. I even used the word, broke my heart,
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  Speaker 1: words I should say. when Rudy shook hands with Mom
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  Speaker 1: Donnie at the 9-11 ceremony last week. Now, some people
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  Speaker 1: said he didn't realize it by the time he looked up.
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  Speaker 1: He didn't even know who he was shaking hands with,
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  Speaker 1: and he's a gentleman, and all that stuff. Okay, fine,
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  Speaker 1: but I'm sorry. I watched Rudy on Newsmax kill this guy,
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  Speaker 1: kill him for months, saying he shouldn't be there, and
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  Speaker 1: then you shake his hand? So I still love Rudy
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  Speaker 1: every much today as I did last Thursday, but when
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  Speaker 1: I saw that, that bothered me. What are your thoughts
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  Speaker 1: on that?
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  Speaker 2: Well, Sid, great respect for you, and I understand why
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  Speaker 2: you have that view. That's a solemn day and a
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  Speaker 2: solemn ceremony. People should be there, not as politicians, not
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  Speaker 2: in anger against other politicians, but in sorrow for that
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  Speaker 2: sacred day and to honor the memories of those we lost,
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  Speaker 2: and always to remember that day. It's not a day for,
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  Speaker 2: you know, slapping someone's hand in the way or playing politics.
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  Speaker 2: So I respect what Rudy did. And, you know, I
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  Speaker 2: said on this show before, I thought that while I
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  Speaker 2: understand the view of those who felt so strongly that
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  Speaker 2: Mayor Mondani shouldn't have been there, that's a day when
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  Speaker 2: people should go and honor our fallen heroes and all
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  Speaker 2: those whose lives were lost. And a mayor, whether you
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  Speaker 2: like that mayor or not, a mayor should be honoring.
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  Speaker 2: So I think that what Rudy did that day was
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  Speaker 2: the right thing, was not to make political statements, was
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  Speaker 2: not to have acrimony between politicians. It was to honor
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  Speaker 2: our fallen heroes.
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  Speaker 1: Well, you're right. I'm an immature barbarian. I admit it.
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  Speaker 1: You're a thousand percent right. Not even up for debate.
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  Speaker 1: But I just wanted to bring it up anyway. You
• 12:23
  Speaker 1: are so great, Randy Marshall. You know I feel that way.
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  Speaker 1: So thank you for all the hard work you're doing
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  Speaker 1: for New Yorkers. And not one, but two lawsuits. And
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  Speaker 1: keep coming out because we love you. Thank you, Randy.
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  Speaker 2: My pleasure. Great to be with you, sir.
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  Speaker 1: You too, Randy. Randy Mastro right there, and what a
• 12:37
  Speaker 1: great guy. He served alongside Rudy, alongside Eric Adams, and
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  Speaker 1: now representing New York in two lawsuits against Mom Donnie,
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  Speaker 1: that creep, and this city. He's right about Rudy. He
• 12:48
  Speaker 1: did the right thing.
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• 13:15
  Speaker 3: for a new episode so you never have to wonder.
• 13:18
  Speaker 1: What the heck is going on here?