New York City mayor and corruption investigator spar over firing

NEW YORK (FOX5NY.COM) - The recently fired commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation said the mayor and his staff tried to stop him from releasing the findings from his investigations into city agencies.

Mayor Bill de Blasio said he fired Commissioner Mark Peters because the latter had abused the powers of his office.

In a letter to the City Council, Peters claimed that the mayor pressured him ahead of the release of reports about the New York City Housing Authority repeatedly failing to conduct proper lead inspections and the Administration for Children's Services' problems.

"When I informed the Mayor that DOI was obligated to make its findings public he yelled at me, accused me of trying to bring his administration 'down,'" Peters wrote in his letter to the City Council. He wrote that his firing was "retribution."

"False. It's just false," de Blasio said. "I am sure I had conversations with Mr. Peters and I'm sure I had disagreements but that characterization is false."

De Blasio said his administration "always respected" the DOI's probes.

Peters said he is willing to testify before the City Council.