Mayor de Blasio Nominates Department of Investigation Commissioner

January 18, 2014

CONTACT: pressoffice@cityhall.nyc.gov, (212) 788-2958

NEW YORK—Today Mayor Bill de Blasio is pleased to announce his nomination of Mark Peters to serve as Commissioner of the Department of Investigation (DOI). A former prosecutor, Peters is a dedicated public servant with a proven track record of fighting corruption in both the public and private sectors. As DOI Commissioner, Peters will ensure that New York City’s government upholds the highest ethical standards and serves the interests of all New Yorkers.

Peters, currently a partner at the law firm Edwards Wildman, formerly served as Chief of the Public Corruption Unit and as Deputy Chief of the Civil Rights Bureau at the New York State Attorney General’s office. During his tenure, Peters established a strong record of rooting out corruption and waging tough fights against powerful special interests: from bringing a first-of-its-kind case against one of the largest sub-prime lenders in the state, to prosecuting members of a political organization that diverted AIDS funding to election campaigns, to ensuring unions gave equal work opportunities to minority employees. Peters has also served on New York State’s Commission on Public Integrity, where his actions clearly demonstrated his reputation for independence.

“Mark Peters is a man with immense personal integrity and extensive experience protecting the interests of New Yorkers,” said Mayor de Blasio. “He is steadfastly committed to ensuring that government works honestly for every citizen, and he will continue to work tirelessly to ensure New York City’s government lives up to the highest ethical standards. I look forward to the City Council’s consideration and consent of Mr. Peter’s appointment.”

“It is an honor to be nominated to serve as Commissioner of the Department of Investigation,” said Mr. Peters. “Throughout my career, I have strived to ensure that those with power live up to their responsibilities and behave in a manner fitting the people of New York. As Commissioner of the DOI, I will continue to fight to ensure that this city meets the highest level of ethical standards and accountability.”

“Mayor de Blasio has made an excellent choice in his nomination of Mark Peters to lead the Department of Investigation,” said Michele Hirshman, former First Deputy Attorney General of the State of New York and a partner at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. “Mark has a proven record of service and fighting corruption, and he has consistently shown judgment, independence and character. I was fortunate to have Mark as a colleague at the Attorney General’s office, and the City of New York will be well served with Mark as its next DOI Commissioner.”

“I congratulate Mayor de Blasio on his nomination of Mark Peters to serve as Commissioner of the Department of Investigation. New Yorkers deserve a government of the highest integrity, and the Department of Investigation has played a leading role in ensuring they get just that. Mark Peters will lead DOI with uncompromising integrity, independence and clarity of purpose, and I hope the City Council will act swiftly to confirm him,” said Richard Emery, a former member of the New York State Commission on Public Integrity and founding partner of Emery, Celli, Brinckerhoff & Abady.

“I applaud Mayor de Blasio’s nomination of Mark Peters to serve as Commissioner of the Department of Investigation,” said Alan Vinegrad, former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and a partner at Covington and Burling. “Mark has a demonstrated commitment to enforcing our community’s public corruption laws and ensuring that our government is run with honesty and integrity. He is a smart lawyer and dedicated public servant. Mark is a natural choice to lead the DOI.”

“Mark Peters has spent his accomplished career fighting corruption, leading high-profile investigations, and restoring the public’s trust in government. Mark is an ideal candidate to lead the City’s Department of Investigation, and I know he will do so with the independence and integrity that he brings to all of his endeavors,” said Michael Cherkasky, former Chair of the New York State Commission on Public Integrity and a long-serving prosecutor in the Manhattan District Attorney’s office.

“New York City residents are well served by the nomination of Mark Peters to lead the Department of Investigation,” Eric Corngold, former New York State Executive Deputy Attorney General for Economic Justice and a Partner at Friedman, Kaplan, Seiler & Adelman. “Mark has spent his career rooting out public corruption, and he has the ideal combination of legal and management skills to lead DOI. I congratulate Mayor de Blasio on this nomination.”

About Mark Peters:

A native New Yorker, Mark G. Peters is an experienced attorney and public servant who has dedicated his career to rooting out corruption and fraud. From serving as Senior Staff Attorney at Children’s Rights, Inc., advocating on behalf of abused and neglected children, to serving as the chief corruption prosecutor at the New York State Attorney General’s office, Peters has continually taken on tough fights serving the public interest.

As Deputy Chief of the Civil Rights Bureau in the Attorney General’s Office, Peters prosecuted a union denying equal work opportunities, forcing it to pay more than $2.6 million in back wages to its workers. He also brought the first-of-its-kind case against one of the largest sub-prime lenders in New York State, obtaining the detailed federal court consent decree that became the basis for future industry regulation. As Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, he oversaw cases against a range of companies that diverted public funds, as well as against public officials – including police departments that violated state and federal laws.

Peters, Mayor de Blasio’s former campaign treasurer, shares de Blasio’s ideals of a government that works honestly for everyone and has a proven record of protecting the public’s interest, regardless of the political affiliations of the entities he prosecutes. As Department of Investigation Commissioner, he will continue to serve the public’s interest and ensure the City maintains the highest level of integrity at every level.

Peters received his Bachelor of Arts from Brown University and earned his J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife and two children.