In a surprising twist, a case of mistaken identity has caused quite a stir in the media world. British journalist Bevan Hurley of The Times of London reached out to former New York Mayor Bill de Blasio for his thoughts on Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani. However, he accidentally contacted a different Bill DeBlasio, a 59-year-old wine importer from Long Island.
The Long Island DeBlasio decided to play along when he received the email. He shared his thoughts on Mamdani’s spending plans, which he felt didn’t add up. Hurley, unaware of the mix-up, published the comments, claiming they were from the former mayor. This led to a flurry of attention, with the article spreading quickly across social media.
Once the mistake was discovered, The Times of London retracted the story, stating they had been misled by someone falsely claiming to be the ex-mayor. Other media outlets, including The New York Times, quickly followed up with their own coverage, labeling the Long Island resident as a “de Blasio impersonator.”
The Long Island DeBlasio defended himself, saying he never claimed to be the former mayor. He pointed out that he was just sharing his opinion and thought it was all in good fun. He even joked about the difference in how their last names are spelled, noting that the former mayor uses a lowercase “d” while he uses a capital “D.”
The fallout was swift. Reporters who wrote the original piece deleted their work, and British editors issued apologies. The New York Times rushed to clarify that the real Bill de Blasio still supports Mamdani’s ambitious plans for free public transport, universal childcare, and rent freezes.
Former Mayor de Blasio expressed his disbelief over the incident, calling it a complete fabrication. He reaffirmed his support for Mamdani, comparing his policies to the free pre-K initiative he championed during his time in office.
Meanwhile, the Long Island DeBlasio took the chaos lightly. He has received years of hate mail meant for the former mayor and described the situation as another example of lazy journalism. He was accurately quoted, but he felt the whole episode highlighted the need for better fact-checking in reporting.
