Latest news with #ThomasDonlon
New York Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- New York Times
Former N.Y.P.D. Commissioner Says He Will Sue Eric Adams for Defamation
Mayor Eric Adams of New York City and a former top aide are facing a defamation suit for publicly questioning the mental acuity of Mr. Adams's former interim police commissioner, Thomas G. Donlon. Mr. Adams and the former aide, Tarik Sheppard, made the comments after Mr. Donlon had accused the mayor and Mr. Sheppard of running City Hall and the Police Department like a criminal enterprise. Mr. Donlon's notice of claim, which was filed Monday with the office of the New York City comptroller, said the disparaging comments 'are targeted smears designed to destroy a whistle-blower's reputation and silence the truth.' The acrimonious back and forth between the mayor and his former interim police commissioner comes as Mr. Adams embarks upon a long-shot re-election campaign partly predicated on the notion that he, a retired police captain, deserves the mayoralty because his management of the Police Department has lowered crime. Mr. Donlon threatens to undermine that narrative with a federal lawsuit accusing the mayor of seeding the Police Department with corruption. He is one of five former top police officials who have accused the mayor of wrongdoing in recent weeks. Mr. Sheppard, a close ally of the mayor who until recently served as the Police Department's chief spokesman, was singled out in Mr. Donlon's original lawsuit as having engaged in significant wrongdoing. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Al Arabiya
2 days ago
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Ex-NYPD commissioner accuses NYC mayor of 'character assassination' in $10 million defamation claim
New York City's former interim police commissioner has filed a $10 million defamation claim against Mayor Eric Adams for reportedly suggesting he was mentally unfit for the job of top cop. The filing comes less than a week after the ex-commissioner, Thomas Donlon, sued Adams and his top deputies, accusing them of operating the department as a criminal racket that rewarded unqualified loyalists and punished whistleblowers. Donlon said he was sidelined for trying to clean up the corruption. After that lawsuit was filed, Adams privately told members of a nonprofit business advocacy group at a meeting that he'd fired Donlon, 71, from his brief stint as commissioner last fall because he was rapidly deteriorating mentally, according to attendees. Donlon cited news reports about those comments in his legal claim. The department's former top spokesperson, Tarik Sheppard, who was also named in Donlon's lawsuit, told reporters that his former boss was 'going through some cognitive issues and believed there was this conspiracy against him.' 'Their comments amounted to a defamatory public character assassination intended to weaponize mental health to silence a whistleblower,' Donlon's attorney, John Scola, said Monday. Donlon, a former FBI official, was appointed by Adams in September to lead a department reeling from overlapping federal investigations and high-level resignations. He was replaced by the current commissioner, Jessica Tisch, in November. During his short tenure, federal authorities searched Donlon's home for decades-old documents that he said were unrelated to his work at the department. He has not been publicly accused of wrongdoing in connection with that search. In his short time as commissioner, Donlon said he uncovered systemic corruption by members of the mayor's inner circle, including a scheme to reward unqualified loyalists with lucrative promotions in exchange for political favors. In his lawsuit, Donlon accused Sheppard of misappropriating the commissioner's rubber stamp signature to give himself a raise, then threatening to kill Donlon when confronted about it. Sheppard, who left the department in May, has denied that allegation. Inquiries to City Hall about the defamation claim were not immediately returned. In a statement last week, a spokesperson for Adams, Kayla Mamelak Altus, described Donlon's claims as 'absurd.' 'These are baseless accusations from a disgruntled former employee who – when given the opportunity to lead the greatest police department in the world – proved himself to be ineffective,' she said. The defamation claim adds to a recent spate of litigation brought by police officials against Adams, focusing scrutiny on his leadership as he seeks re-election on a platform emphasizing managerial competence and public safety. Earlier this month, four high-ranking former NYPD officials brought separate lawsuits accusing Adams and his deputies of allowing rampant corruption and cronyism within the police department. In response to those suits, a spokesperson for Adams said the administration holds all city employees – including leadership at the NYPD – to the highest standards.
The Independent
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Ex-NYPD commissioner accuses NYC mayor of 'character assassination' in $10 million defamation claim
New York City's former interim police commissioner has filed a $10 million defamation claim against Mayor Eric Adams for reportedly suggesting he was mentally unfit for the job of top cop. The filing comes less than a week after the ex-commissioner, Thomas Donlon, sued Adams and his top deputies, accusing them of operating the department as a criminal racket that rewarded unqualified loyalists and punished whistleblowers. Donlon said he was sidelined for trying to clean up the corruption. After that lawsuit was filed, Adams privately told members of a nonprofit business advocacy group at a meeting that he'd fired Donlon, 71, from his brief stint as commissioner last fall because he was 'rapidly deteriorating mentally," according to attendees. Donlon cited news reports about those comments in his legal claim. The department's former top spokesperson, Tarik Sheppard, who was also named in Donlon's lawsuit, told reporters that his former boss was 'going through some cognitive issues' and believed 'there was this conspiracy against him.' Their comments amounted to a defamatory 'public character assassination" intended to "weaponize mental health to silence a whistleblower,' Donlon's attorney, John Scola, said Monday. Donlon, a former FBI official, was appointed by Adams in September to lead a department reeling from overlapping federal investigations and high-level resignations. He was replaced by the current commissioner, Jessica Tisch, in November. During his short tenure, federal authorities searched Donlon's home for decades-old documents that he said were unrelated to his work at the department. He has not been publicly accused of wrongdoing in connection with that search. In his short time as commissioner, Donlon said he uncovered 'systemic corruption' by members of the mayor's inner circle, including a scheme to reward unqualified loyalists with lucrative promotions in exchange for political favors. In his lawsuit, Donlon accused Sheppard of misappropriating the commissioner's rubber stamp signature to give himself a raise, then threatening to kill Donlon when confronted about it. Sheppard, who left the department in May, has denied that allegation. Inquiries to City Hall about the defamation claim were not immediately returned. In a statement last week, a spokesperson for Adams, Kayla Mamelak Altus, described Donlon's claims as 'absurd.' 'These are baseless accusations from a disgruntled former employee who — when given the opportunity to lead the greatest police department in the world — proved himself to be ineffective,' she said. The defamation claim adds to a recent spate of litigation brought by police officals against Adams, focusing scrutiny on his leadership as he seeks re-election on a platform emphasizing managerial competence and public safety. Earlier this month, four high-ranking former NYPD officials brought separate lawsuits accusing Adams and his deputies of allowing rampant corruption and cronyism within the police department. In response to those suits, a spokesperson for Adams said the administration 'holds all city employees — including leadership at the NYPD — to the highest standards.'
Associated Press
2 days ago
- Politics
- Associated Press
Ex-NYPD commissioner accuses NYC mayor of 'character assassination' in $10 million defamation claim
NEW YORK (AP) — New York City's former interim police commissioner has filed a $10 million defamation claim against Mayor Eric Adams for reportedly suggesting he was mentally unfit for the job of top cop. The filing comes less than a week after the ex-commissioner, Thomas Donlon, sued Adams and his top deputies, accusing them of operating the department as a criminal racket that rewarded unqualified loyalists and punished whistleblowers. Donlon said he was sidelined for trying to clean up the corruption. After that lawsuit was filed, Adams privately told members of a nonprofit business advocacy group at a meeting that he'd fired Donlon, 71, from his brief stint as commissioner last fall because he was 'rapidly deteriorating mentally,' according to attendees. Donlon cited news reports about those comments in his legal claim. The department's former top spokesperson, Tarik Sheppard, who was also named in Donlon's lawsuit, told reporters that his former boss was 'going through some cognitive issues' and believed 'there was this conspiracy against him.' Their comments amounted to a defamatory 'public character assassination' intended to 'weaponize mental health to silence a whistleblower,' Donlon's attorney, John Scola, said Monday. Donlon, a former FBI official, was appointed by Adams in September to lead a department reeling from overlapping federal investigations and high-level resignations. He was replaced by the current commissioner, Jessica Tisch, in November. During his short tenure, federal authorities searched Donlon's home for decades-old documents that he said were unrelated to his work at the department. He has not been publicly accused of wrongdoing in connection with that search. In his short time as commissioner, Donlon said he uncovered 'systemic corruption' by members of the mayor's inner circle, including a scheme to reward unqualified loyalists with lucrative promotions in exchange for political favors. In his lawsuit, Donlon accused Sheppard of misappropriating the commissioner's rubber stamp signature to give himself a raise, then threatening to kill Donlon when confronted about it. Sheppard, who left the department in May, has denied that allegation. Inquiries to City Hall about the defamation claim were not immediately returned. In a statement last week, a spokesperson for Adams, Kayla Mamelak Altus, described Donlon's claims as 'absurd.' 'These are baseless accusations from a disgruntled former employee who — when given the opportunity to lead the greatest police department in the world — proved himself to be ineffective,' she said. The defamation claim adds to a recent spate of litigation brought by police officals against Adams, focusing scrutiny on his leadership as he seeks re-election on a platform emphasizing managerial competence and public safety. Earlier this month, four high-ranking former NYPD officials brought separate lawsuits accusing Adams and his deputies of allowing rampant corruption and cronyism within the police department. In response to those suits, a spokesperson for Adams said the administration 'holds all city employees — including leadership at the NYPD — to the highest standards.'
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former interim NYPD commissioner Donlon files $10M notice he'll sue Mayor Adams for defamation
Former NYPD Interim Commissioner Thomas Donlon filed a $10 million notice of intent to sue the city Monday, alleging Mayor Adams and former NYPD spokesman Tarik Sheppard slandered him when they claimed without providing evidence Donlon was removed from the post because he was 'mentally not fit,' a copy of the claim shows. Donlon, 71, filed a 251-page lawsuit in federal court in Manhattan Wednesday charging that Adams and top loyalists in the NYPD were running a 'criminal enterprise.' The following day, Sheppard, who Donlon had accused of promoting himself to three-star chief and threatening to 'kill' him at the 2024 NYC Marathon, said Donlon was suffered from 'some cognitive issues.' Sheppard also claimed the FBI seized Donlon's phones at one point. Adams the following day claimed the former career FBI agent was 'mentally not fit' and told a group of business leaders he dismissed him for refusing a mental health evaluation. 'This wasn't spin. It was a deliberate and defamatory attack — weaponizing mental health to silence a whistleblower and deflect from the criminal misconduct Donlon exposed,' said Donlon's lawyer John Scola. 'The facts speak for themselves: Donlon's phones were never seized. No mental health evaluation was ever requested. And immediately after removing him as Commissioner, Adams appointed Donlon as Senior Advisor for Public Safety—a role that directly contradicts City Hall's new narrative.' Litigants are required to file a notice of claim with the city Comptroller's office before filing a lawsuit. The claim alleges Adams and Sheppard 'knowingly made false, malicious and reputationally damaging public statements.' Donlon was appointed interim police commissioner Sept. 13 after Edward Caban's phones were seized and he was forced to resign in the midst of the then-mushrooming federal investigation into corruption in the Adams administration. Donlon presided as police commissioner for two months amid a period in which he claims in the lawsuit he was constantly undermined by Sheppard, then Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey, the current Chief of Department John Chell and current Deputy Mayor Kaz Daughtry. Adams selected former Sanitation Commissioner Jessica Tisch as police commissioner Nov. 20 and gave Donlon a post at City Hall where he worked on obtaining law enforcement grants from federal and state agencies. 'There is no documentation, medical or otherwise, suggesting Mr. Donlon was impaired or was asked to seek treatment,' the notice of claim alleges. 'No such concerns were raised until after he filed suit against the Mayor and his inner circle.' In late April, as The News previously reported, Donlon was contacted by a City Hall human resources official and told his position was being eliminated. He departed city government in early May. On Thursday, Donlon gave an hour-long interview to The News covering his tenure in detail. 'He's just grasping at straws, it's pathetic,' Donlon said of Sheppard's comments, 'Of course he's defaming me. 'Just about every day I was police commissioner, I was out in the community. Weekends. I never took a day off,' he added. 'So, no, I wasn't isolated. And no, the FBI never took my phones.' Reps for Adams and the NYPD did not immediately reply to requests for comment. Solve the daily Crossword
