The British newspaper the Times has apologized and deleted an article after discovering its reporter had been duped by someone pretending to be Bill de Blasio, the former mayor of New York City. A man purporting to be De Blasio gave senior reporter Bevan Hurley a series of quotes criticising Zohran Mamdani, the frontrunner in the current mayoral race, ahead of the vote next Tuesday. The New York Post picked up the Times story before it was taken down, leading with the fabricated quotes, though later updating its article after De Blasio revealed the deception. A Cuomo spokesperson shared the article on social media, calling Mamdani’s proposals “glitter and vibes”. Mamdani has faced a particular vicious campaign in the race’s final days, despite widespread calls to lower hateful rhetoric following Charlie Kirk’s killing.

Source: The Times October 29, 2025 16:45 UTC