s ▁investigation . ▁ ▁Scott ▁And o , ▁the ▁former ▁head ▁of ▁the ▁IP RA ▁who ▁was ▁fired ▁by ▁E manuel ▁in ▁December , ▁con cur red ▁that ▁the ▁mayor ' s ▁office ▁never ▁inter fer ed ▁in ▁the ▁ag ency ' s ▁investig ations . ▁He ▁said : ▁" We ▁were ▁generally ▁asked ▁to ▁clear ▁every ▁mess aging ▁or ▁release ▁to ▁the ▁press ▁... ▁I ▁really ▁think ▁if ▁I ' d ▁been ▁allowed ▁to ▁be ▁more ▁respons ive ▁to ▁the ▁questions ▁that ▁were ▁pos ed , ▁it ▁would ▁have ▁cleared ▁the ▁air ▁a ▁lot ▁sooner ." ▁Adam ▁Collins , ▁a ▁sp ok esp erson ▁for ▁the ▁mayor , ▁has ▁def ended ▁the ▁mayor ' s ▁office ▁to ▁the ▁media , ▁saying , ▁" The ▁mayor ' s ▁office ▁obviously ▁does ▁not ▁direct ▁investig ations , ▁nor ▁are ▁any ▁employees ▁involved ▁in ▁those ▁investig ations ." ▁ ▁In ▁a ▁May ▁ 2 6 ▁email ▁to ▁Jan ey ▁R ount ree , ▁Deput y ▁Chief ▁of ▁Staff ▁for ▁Public ▁Saf ety , ▁Collins ▁wrote : ▁" Ag ain st ▁my ▁recommendation , ▁IP RA ▁has ▁already ▁provided ▁this ▁response ▁that ▁was ▁a ▁little ▁ant agon istic . ▁I ' ve ▁asked ▁that ▁they ▁follow ▁up ▁with ▁this ▁as ▁well ▁to ▁soft en ▁and ▁rein force ▁their ▁message ." ▁The ▁emails ▁also ▁reve al ▁communication ▁from ▁the ▁mayor ' s ▁office ▁with ▁influ ential ▁religious ▁leaders ▁Re ver end ▁J esse ▁Jackson ▁and ▁Father ▁Michael ▁Pf le ger , ▁asking ▁them ▁to ▁soft en ▁their