Lawrence Pocari, Mount Vernon's top lawyer, is taking aim at the Board of Ethics after it accused the mayor of illegally collecting money from a school.

For a second day, the city attorney is blasting the board for releasing a scathing report last week that accuses Mayor Richard Thomas of taking more than $100,000 from a local charter school.

The mayor has called the charges false and the report reckless. On Tuesday, Pocari called on the City Council to appoint an independent inspector general to oversee the investigation.

Mayor Thomas would get to appoint the inspector general, which some say may not make the appointed person remain unbiased.

The council president says she will discuss the matter with other council members, but so far there are no immediate plans to fund a new inspector general.