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Congresswoman calls for probe into Bill de Blasio and wife’s $1.5b ‘ThriveNYC’ following subway slaying

January 24, 2022 | | Print Article

Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY) is calling for an investigation into New York City’s $1.5 billion  ‘ThriveNYC” program, designed to help the city’s mentally ill, following the brutal death of Michelle Go, who was allegedly pushed onto subway tracks by a crazed vagrant.

Malliotakis urged the city Department of Investigation to probe “any waste, fraud, or abuse carried out within ThriveNYC since its 2015 launch.”

The program, a brainchild of former Mayor Bill de Blasio, garnered suspicion since its inception, when de Blasio put his wife, Chirlane McCray, in charge, despite her noticeable lack of experience in the mental health field.

“Like many New Yorkers, I remain deeply concerned that our tax dollars allocated to address mental health issues under May Bill de Blasio’s ‘ThriveNYC’ program were effectively wasted, leaving us with lasting health and safety crises and little to no recourse,” Malliotakis wrote Friday to DOI Inspector General Clinton Daggan, who is in charge of any probes concerning the Department of Health.

People on all sides of the political spectrum have questioned where the money for the healthcare initiative has gone, Malliotakis said in a recent interview.

“No one can seem to get an answer,” she stated. “I think it’s appropriate that the IG takes a look at the spending, audit the ThriveNYC program and finally make it public on how this money was utilized,” adding that, perhaps, Mayor Adam’s administration could spend the money more effectively.

In August 2021, de Blassio and McCray revamped the much-maligned ThriveNYC, following what the New York Post called a “horrific attack of a man in a lower Manhattan ATM by a hatchet-wielding maniac.” The Post criticized the former mayor at the time for downplaying the chilling event.

“We do have some really serious issues to address, there’s no question,” de Blasio told The Post at the time. “It is a very, very small percentage, and I want to emphasize this… we should never stereotype folks with mental health challenges as being violent.”

Social media has repeatedly disagreed with de Blasio’s assessment, echoing Malliotakis’ call for accountability as crimes involving the mentally ill continue to surge.

Meanwhile, a DOI spokesperson has said that the agency will review Malliotakis’ letter.

Melissa Fine
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