Giuliani Sharply Attacks Dinkins’ Character in Their First N.Y. Mayoralty Debate

Former U.S. Atty. Rudolph W. Giuliani, as expected, sharply attacked the character and competence of his Democratic mayoral rival, David N. Dinkins, Saturday when the two finally met in their first debate.

Dinkins countered by saying that New York City needs a mayor, not a prosecutor.

Giuliani went into the debate trailing in the polls, and analysts said he needed to score something close to a political knockout, which he apparently did not. Dinkins appeared poised and well briefed and was not flustered.

At one point, Henry R. Hewes, a Republican running on the Right to Life ticket, who was included in the debate over Giuliani’s objections, even came to Dinkins’ defense.

“I am not happy that David did not pay his taxes according to the time schedule 20 years ago, I’m sure he’s not,” Hewes said. “But you are talking about something that happened 20 years ago, and I have no doubts about David’s integrity.”

“I think Henry and David are running almost like a ticket here,” Giuliani countered. “The two of them seem to agree on everything.”

Giuliani accused Dinkins, the Manhattan Borough president, of engaging in a “cover-up” by not opening up the books of a company whose stock he transferred to his son. On a state form, Dinkins valued the stock in the Inner City Broadcasting Co. at $1 million-plus.

The same year, on a New York City form, he listed the value of the stock at between $20,000 and $60,000. He transferred the stock to his son for a $58,000 promissory note due by 1991, with interest, and has previously explained that the price he charged his son was consistent with the price the privately held company had offered to redeem its shares during the same period.

“Open up the stock record books, let’s see if that stock in fact was transferred,” Giuliani challenged. He also charged that Dinkins’ election filings were incomplete and that the borough president had concealed the business affiliations of contributors.

“These are important issues. They go to character and integrity and honesty,” Giuliani charged.

” . . . People don’t run for mayor of New York who have not paid their taxes,” he added.

Two decades ago, Dinkins failed to file taxes for four years. He has apologized throughout the campaign and has said that all back taxes and penalties were later paid. No charges were filed against him.

As he has throughout the campaign in an effort to rally Democrats, who outnumber Republicans in registration 5 to 1 in New York City, Dinkins sought to picture Giuliani as a captive of national Republicans. He charged they were hostile to the plight of the nation’s cities.

And seeking to undercut Giuliani’s credentials as a crime fighter, he agreed that crime and drugs were the principal issues in the campaign, reiterating a pledge to place a police officer on every subway train.

“Throughout this campaign I have tried to keep our sights fixed firmly on the challenges we will face in the 1990s, crime and drugs, housing, schools, AIDS, the environment all at a time of fiscal constraint. It will not be easy,” Dinkins said.

“These will be tough times and we will have good times too. I am asking you to make me mayor.”

The debate was held only three days before Election Day, and through long weeks of negotiations Giuliani’s representatives had argued for a one-on-one encounter with Dinkins, who refused. But as the Democratic mayoral candidate’s lead in the polls held steady, the Republican contender, who also is running on the Liberal Party ticket, finally agreed that Hewes, the Republican running on the Right to Life ticket, could be included.

Hewes is given no chance of winning the election. The latest Daily News-Channel 7 poll showed Dinkins leading with 53% to 39% for Giuliani.