A press association says New York City’s mayor should “tread cautiously” in mandating that any public records requests that could “reflect directly on the mayor” be reviewed by his lawyers.

New York Press Club President Steve Scott posted the statement Thursday after The Associated Press reported on a May 5 directive by a lawyer for Mayor Bill de Blasio.

That memo instructed 60 lawyers at city agencies to forward potentially controversial or sensitive requests made under the Freedom of Information Law to City Hall lawyers before they’re sent to whoever asked for them.

De Blasio denied Wednesday the policy was intended to micromanage his image and said he didn’t know who sent the memo. He said his administration hopes to streamline the public records process.

(AP)