Westchester DA clears New Rochelle mayor of criminal wrongdoing in ethics probe

Westchester District Attorney Mimi Rocah announced Monday that her office would not bring criminal charges against New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson over alleged ethics violations, calling the evidence needed to support such charges "insufficient."

“The sole purpose of our review was to determine if it was appropriate to bring criminal charges against the Mayor for this conduct, and we have concluded that there is legally insufficient evidence to support criminal charges," Rocah's office said in a statement. "Our review is now concluded.”

The New Rochelle Board of Ethics concluded this summer that Bramson, a Democrat, had violated the city's charter in his bid to become the commissioner of development. However, the board was divided on whether Bramson's criticism of a new personnel appointment was similarly inappropriate.

In a statement, Bramson celebrated Rocah's announcement as a vindication, observing that he was "pleased, but not surprised, by the DA’s determination."

"Through nearly 30 years of public service, I have valued and upheld the highest standards of integrity," he added.

The ethics board's report, issued in June, found that Bramson tried to secure the appointment to the economic development role, which would have come with a significant pay bump, from City Manager Chuck Strome. This, despite Strome's repeated insistence that the appointment of an elected official to an administrative role would be inappropriate.

Bramson's campaign to secure the development slot "caused the City Manager to feel significant pressure," a violation of the city charter, which prohibits interference in the selection of government personnel, the board found.

Kathleen Gill, New Rochelle's corporation counsel, concurred with Strome that Bramson should not be appointed as development commissioner. Gill would later be selected by Strome to be his deputy.

The commission's two-member panel (the third member recused herself from this case) split on whether Bramson's objection to Gill being named deputy qualified as improper influence. Bramson had called members of the council to voice his concerns about Gill performing the deputy city manager role.

The ethics commission's chairman, Charles Phipps, said that the mayor's conversations "brought pressure to bear on" Strome, who had selected Gill for the deputy role.

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However, the other voting commissioner, David Blumenthal, called the mayor's actions "troubling" but concluded that they did not rise to the level of a city charter violation.

The ethics board's probe was initiated from complaints brought by Robert Cox, a city resident who publishes the “Talk of the Sound” blog.

Bramson announced in November that he would not run for reelection. He has served for nearly two decades as New Rochelle's mayor and, before that, 10 years as a council member.

Strome voiced his support for the mayor during the November announcement, emphasizing his "honest and straightforward communication with our residents."

"From the financial difficulties we faced during the national collapse of 2008, to New Rochelle being the early epicenter of the COVID pandemic, Noam was there to lead," Strome said.

Asher Stockler is a reporter for The Journal News and the USA Today Network New York. You can find him on Twitter at @quasiasher or send him an email at astockler@lohud.com. Reach him securely: asher.stockler@protonmail.com.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson won't face charges on ethics