James Cohen was quoted in a New York Post article about a lawsuit filed against NYCHA officials about a possible cover-up related to conditions in public housing.
The deceptions went far beyond the lies about lead-paint problems: Prosecutors outlined an elaborate scheme to routinely fool federal inspectors — faked repairs and despicable dodges like turning off buildings’ water to hide leaks, as well as a detailed system (complete with a “how to” guide) for foiling individual inspectors.
None of that is covered by the limited immunity granted to public officials who lawfully do their jobs. As Fordham Law prof Jim Cohen told The Post, the parties to the coverup “committed a fraud on the federal government by hiding these problems.”