“Bringing in an outside law firm was to remove even the appearance of any conflict in the investigation. Randolph McLaughlin should know the difference. My office did not initiate this investigation. Additionally, it was requested by six members of the city council,”
–Yonkers Inspector General Liam McLaughlin
By Dan Murphy
Last week, we reported on claims by Randy McLaughlin, attorney for City Council President Mike Khader, concerning allegations made against Khader earlier this year. The allegations surround claims that Khader violated ethics laws by not paying rent for his law office and then hiring attorney Jeff Buss as counsel in the office of council president, and additional allegations including a written letter and complaint from a former female staff member in Khader’s council president’s office.
Once the allegations became public in May of 2021, six members of the Yonkers City Council requested that Yonkers Inspector General Liam McLaughlin conduct an investigation into the allegations against Khader. IG McLaughlin served as city council president before losing his re-election to Khader in 2017.
McLaughlin hired an outside law firm to conduct the investigation and subpoenas for Khader’s records related to his law office were requested from Khader and attorney Jeff Buss.
Khader’s attorney petitioned the court to have the investigation halted and the subpoena quashed. State Supreme Court Judge Joan Lefkowitz ruled that the case could continue and that there was no conflict of interest from IG McLaughlin. But Lefkowitz did quash the subpoena against Khader, allowing AG McLaughlin to reissue the subpoena.
The investigation into Khader was delayed pending Lefkowitz’s decision, but according to Inspector General McLaughlin, the probe continues. “While I cannot comment on the ongoing investigation, I’m pleased to see that the court has recognized this investigation has merit, unlike Randolph McLaughlin’s contentions,” said IG McLaughlin, (no relation between the two McLaughlin’s).
“The court also ruled that the Inspector General has the authority to conduct this investigation and I will issue a full report at the conclusion of the investigation, and it will be as transparent, what is what we would expect from all of our city officials,” said IG McLaughlin.
Another question asked by Randy McLaughlin in last weeks story was why did IG Liam McLaughlin appoint a law firm to oversee the investigation into Khader. “Bringing in an outside law firm was to remove even the appearance of any conflict in the investigation. Randolph McLaughlin should know the difference. My office did not initiate this investigation. Additionally, it was requested by six members of the city council and it has been standard practice if the IG gets a directive from the council or the Mayor to look into it, so we started moving forward,” said IG McLaughlin.
Sources tell Yonkers Rising that a new subpoena has been issued and the new subpoena is already being challenged by Randy McLaughlin on behalf of Khader. The required information sought by the IG surrounds financial records, or a lease payment, concerning Khader’s Law office at 733 Yonkers Avenue, Suite 200, which is the same address as the law firm of Smith, Buss & Jacobs.
This is the crux of the allegations made against Khader, which requested the investigation by the City Council. What rent was Khader paying to Smith, Buss & Jacobs, and did those payments change when Buss was hired at a salary of $70,000 per year to serve as Khader’s counsel to the Council President, a taxpayer paid position.
In a Journal news story dated Nov. 29, IG McLaughlin asked, “Why not just provide that information? If you did nothing wrong, then what are you hiding from?”
That comment got a stern rebuke from Randy McLaughlin, who claimed that the subpoena requesting the information was quashed. But now with a new subpoena for the same records, IG McLaughlin’s question is also being asked by our readers.
A leader in the Yonkers Democratic Party contacted us about our story last week. “I am no fan of the politics of Liam McLaughlin, but I do agree with something that he said in the LoHud.com story on his investigation into Council President Khader. If Khader was indeed paying rent to Mr. Buss for his law office, then why not hand over the lease or cancelled checks, or some form of payment? I’m not an attorney but that to me seems simple, and if that can’t be handed over, it doesn’t look good for Mr. Khader.”
Yonkers resident Stephen Leone wrote to us, asking, “As an accountant and a Yonkers taxpayer, I would like to know if Mike Khader operated his own private practice, who was answering his phones? Who was collecting his mail? Where did he meet with his clients? Did he use a conference room? What was the real benefit of the office that he allegedly rented out? And what was the fair market value of that office space?”
Another response to IG McLaughlin’s investigation by Khader attorney Randy McLaughlin last week was that the probe of his client should end because Khader is leaving office “in a few weeks.”
Another reader asked, “Mr. Murphy, while I understand that council president Khader is leaving office, I would still like to know what really happened and if both Khader and Mr. Buss, engaged or exchanged in a trade of sorts of free rent or reduced rent for a City job,” writes Chris Fillipelli.
Dennis Zigfreid emailed us saying, “I find it ludicrous for Randolph McLaughlin to ask that IG McLaughlin drop all of his investigation when Council President Khader leaves office. As he knows, the investigation into Khader will continue until it is completed, and a report comes from the IG.”
Once the IG’s report is issued, if possible ethical or criminal violations are found, they would be sent to the Westchester District Attorney, who would make the final determination on whether a criime had been committed and whether Khader will be prosecuted. IG McLaughlin cannot prosecute or charge Council President Khader.
