UK Paper Retracts Fake De Blasio Interview Criticizing NYC Mayoral Hopeful

London, UK – The Times, a prominent British newspaper, has issued a public apology and removed an article from its digital platform after discovering its reporter had been misled by an individual impersonating former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. The fabricated interview contained scathing criticisms of Zohran Mamdani, a leading candidate in an upcoming mayoral race, prompting an immediate and forceful denial from the real De Blasio.

The incident unfolded when senior reporter Bevan Hurley received what he believed to be an exclusive interview with De Blasio. The imposter offered a series of quotes targeting Mamdani, who is considered a frontrunner in the highly contested election set for next Tuesday. These purported statements, which questioned Mamdani’s financial proposals, were swiftly published by The Times, only to be debunked hours later.

Fabricated Quotes and Political Context

The core of the deception revolved around the imposter’s critique of Mamdani’s ambitious policy agenda, particularly its financial underpinnings. “While the ambition is admirable, the cost estimates – reportedly exceeding $7 billion annually – rest on optimistic assumptions about eliminating waste and raising revenue through new taxes,” the fake De Blasio was quoted as saying. The individual further added, “In my view, the math doesn’t hold up under scrutiny, and the political hurdles are substantial.”

These quotes would have been profoundly significant, given Bill de Blasio’s well-documented and vocal support for Zohran Mamdani. The former mayor has been one of Mamdani’s most ardent champions, even penning an op-ed in the New York Daily News in September that lauded the candidate’s “bold sweeping” vision. De Blasio has also been seen publicly endorsing Mamdani, notably wearing a “Hot Girls for Zohran” T-shirt at recent campaign events. The fabricated remarks stood in stark contrast to his genuine stance and would have signaled a dramatic shift in his political allegiances, especially considering his public disagreements with Andrew Cuomo, Mamdani’s opponent and an independent candidate.

Repercussions and Broader Campaign

Upon learning of the article, the genuine Bill de Blasio released a scathing statement, unequivocally denouncing the quotes attributed to him as “entirely false and fabricated.” He further lambasted The Times for what he described as an “absolute violation of journalistic ethics.” In response, The Times promptly removed the offending piece and issued an apology. Their statement read: “The Times has apologised to Bill de Blasio and removed the article immediately after discovering that our reporter had been misled by an individual falsely claiming to be the former New York mayor.”

The fallout extended beyond The Times’ immediate retraction. The New York Post had initially picked up the story, featuring the fabricated quotes, before updating its article once De Blasio exposed the deception. Furthermore, a spokesperson for Andrew Cuomo, Mamdani’s rival, shared the now-discredited article on social media, dismissing Mamdani’s policy proposals as mere “glitter and vibes.” This incident has added another layer of complexity to an already intense mayoral contest, with Mamdani reportedly facing a particularly “vicious campaign” in its final days. Neither The Times nor reporter Bevan Hurley has responded to requests for additional comment regarding the lapse in verification that led to the publication of the fake interview.

Source: The Guardian