New York City's district attorneys are expected to finally meet with Mayor de Blasio after NBC 4 New York reported that their requests to sit down with him to discuss crucial budget and public safety issues were repeatedly ignored.
The mayor's scheduler contacted several of the district attorneys Wednesday afternoon to schedule a meeting, NBC 4 New York has learned.
The five district attorneys tried for months to get a group meeting with de Blasio, as they have with past mayors, but their requests were ignored until after NBC 4 New York's report Tuesday.
Bronx District Attorney Robert Johnson sent an email on behalf of the group in March to meet with the mayor, according to sources familiar with the request.
In the email, Johnson acknowledged de Blasio’s "tight schedule" and asked that the mayor meet with him and the other four district attorneys at his convenience to discuss "how to work together" in the best interest of the city.
"We feel that we are an important part of the city's efforts to provide public safety. We wish to continue our cooperation with NYPD and your office," the email said, according to a copy obtained by NBC 4 New York. "I believe that a conversation in which you are provided with a closer look at our offices' prosecution and prevention efforts will help to foster our mutual goals."
Johnson's office said the mayor's scheduler responded, "Thank you, we will be in touch," but the mayor's office never followed up.
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Phone requests for meetings followed, sources said, but no meeting was arranged.
While the five district attorneys are independent elected officials, City Hall funds their offices, and their budgets directly affect their respective caseload capacities.
Sources inside the offices of multiple district attorneys tell NBC 4 New York the top prosecutors' difficulty getting a group meeting with the mayor left them feeling "frustrated," "disappointed" and "confused."
Those sources said the district attorneys had no issues scheduling meetings with former Mayor Bloomberg.
Follow Melissa Russo on Twitter @MelissaRusso4NY. Follow Jonathan Dienst on Twitter @jonathan4NY
