Hochul dodges questions about on if Mamdanis influencer army should disclose their ties
Gov.Kathy Hochul dodged questions about Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s socialist network of influencers after troubling revelations they were fed City Hall talking points in a secret backchannel.
The governor told reporters in her New York City office that she wasn’t aware of any legislation requiring notice of government-influencer relationships similar to what’s required on ads as she claimed claimed she was more concerned with fighting antisemitism in New York.“This is a new development.I don’t have an answer because we’ve not had a chance to process this,” Hochul said, adding, “I’m working on the crisis of the day.”Hochul made her statements after holding a press conference to announce additional security funding for synagogues, yeshivas and other places subject to hate crimes ahead of the Jewish High Holidays.Hochul appeared unfamiliar with key details of the city’s expanding influencer operation when reporters pressed her further to weigh in on the bombshell report from the Columbia Journalism Review published Aug.
28 showing how Mamdani’s office was secretly leaning on an army of around 200 influencers to spread his message.“My understanding is they’re not being paid,” Hochul said.“I’m not gonna go to City Hall and ask every influencer they talk to whether or not they’re paid.”The working paper specifically described a citywide system that included undisclosed paid influencer campaigns for city agencies since Mamdani became mayor — and the Mamdani administration’s refusal to make his favorite group of influencers or communications with the group public.Mamdani has been widely criticized for his administration’s use of a Signal chat set to auto-delete to communicate with the influencers, which defies transparency laws that require retention of public records.
Hochul did cop to knowing about that when she was asked whether her staff used Signal chats set to auto-delete.“Whatever is happening at City Hall, they can answer...