De Blasio Was Just Interrogated By Federal Investigators For 4 Hours

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, NY — The feds are apparently getting pretty serious about their probe into NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio's potentially crooked relationship with some of his campaign donors. Investigators from the Manhattan U.S. Attorney's Office interrogated the mayor for at least four hours Friday at his attorney Barry Berke's office near Times Square, the mayor's spokesman said.

"We remain confident that at all times the Mayor and his staff acted appropriately and well within the law," mayoral spokesman Eric Phillips said in a statement. "We hope our continued cooperation will help bring a swift conclusion to the U.S. Attorney's review."

A spokesman for U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, meanwhile, told Patch he couldn't "even confirm that the meeting happened," or that there's any kind of investigation into de Blasio and his donors.

De Blasio was met by a mob of reporters as he arrived to the 9 a.m. meeting in a black, unmarked police SUV, according to Newsday. He then departed around 2 p.m.

The team of veteran investigators on the other side of the interrogation table reportedly included Andrew Goldstein, head of the Manhattan U.S. Attorney's public corruption unit, and his deputy, Tatiana Martins — both of whom helped take down corrupt state politicians Sheldon Silver and Dean Skelos.

The New York Times previously reported that the feds suspect de Blasio may have accepted donations from major NYC business players and developers during his 2013 run for mayor — some of them funneled through his "Campaign for One New York" nonprofit — in exchange for return favors while he's been in office.

Lead image courtesy of the Mayor's Office