A top attorney with the city's Law Department who is running for U.S. Senate appeared to blur some ethical lines Wednesday afternoon when she spoke with reporters and voters at City Hall.Y. Gail Goode, Deputy Borough Chief for the Brooklyn Tort Division handed out city business cards along with palm cards as she made the case as to why voters should choose her over incumbent Senator Kirsten Gillibrand in the Democratic Primary.
Goode later entered the City Hall press trailer and began chatting with two Examiner reporters -- complaining about the lack of media coverage she's been receiving. She gave us her Law Department business card and scribbled her personal cell phone number on the back, then dropped off the same business cards on the desks of other reporters.
As of publication it remained unclear what, if any rules Goode may have broken, but one political strategist called the move "foolish, at best."
"It's campaign 101, you get campaign business cards," said a Democratic strategist, not affiliated with Gillibrand's campaign. "They're cheap and an easy way to get the word out."
According to the Law Department, Goode has been granted a leave of absence for the duration of her campaign.
As for the business cards, a Law Department spokesperson told The Examiner that "We will be reviewing the claims regarding today's matter thoroughly."
We reached out to Goode, but as of publication she had not commented on the incident.
