De Blasio echoes Trump as he calls news media 'pitiful' in emails with political firm advisers
Who said it: President Trump or Mayor de Blasio?
"First of all, the news media is pitiful and it's sad for our city and nation."
They
might have wildly different politics, but Hizzoner and the President
share a rabid distaste for the media — and a desire to shape it, new
emails released by City Hall show.
The
emails, between de Blasio and top outside advisers who work for the
political consulting firm BerlinRosen, were released Thursday after the
city spent months trying to keep them secret, arguing the consultants
served as "agents of the city."
Internal communications between city employees are exempt from public release under the state Freedom of Information Law.
De
Blasio argued that he considered BerlinRosen and two other consultant
firms to be the equivalent of city employees that he dubbed "agents of
the city." NY1 sued in 2016 to get them released.
De Blasio finally caved three weeks after a Manhattan appeals court ordered their release.
The
4,245 pages of emails make clear that from his arrival at City Hall, de
Blasio and his team constantly sought ways to manipulate the press and
polish the mayor's image.
