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The Times of London recently published an article containing fabricated quotes from a person impersonating former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. The article falsely claimed that de Blasio criticized Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic candidate in the upcoming New York City mayoral election, just a week before voters head to the polls.
The quotes suggested that de Blasio questioned the feasibility of Mamdani's campaign promises, stating, "the math doesn’t hold up under scrutiny." However, de Blasio quickly denied making these statements, clarifying in a social media post, "I want to be 100% clear: The story in the Times of London is entirely false and fabricated."
The Times of London has since removed the article and apologized to de Blasio. The incident occurred after a reporter was misled by an individual falsely claiming to be de Blasio via email. The impersonator later confirmed their deception when contacted by another news outlet.
Despite the mix-up, de Blasio remains a strong supporter of Mamdani, endorsing his campaign for universal child care, free buses, and a rent freeze. The former mayor criticized the article as a "violation of journalistic ethics" and reaffirmed his support for Mamdani's vision.
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