For former presidential candidate Andrew Yang, who entered the New York City mayor’s race as a frontrunner in January, this week brought into sharp relief some yawning gaps between what he knows and what he doesn’t about the basic functioning of New York City.
On Thursday, flanked by former NYPD officer Edwin Raymond, who’s running for City Council, Yang was asked by NY Post reporter Julia Marsh if he supported the repeal of 50-a, the long-standing law that shielded police discipline records from public view. State legislatures repealed the law last year, amid massive public demonstrations following the murder of George Floyd.
“The repeal of 50-a,” Yang repeated, blankly. “Do you know what 50-a is?” Marsh prodded. “This is not the, it’s not the mandatory interview of the…” Raymond tried to push Yang towards the right subject area, muttering under his breath, “the records, the disciplinary records.” At which point Yang finally arrived — “Um, I think we should get more transparency in terms of police officers and their records.”
Earlier on Thursday, at a taped forum on the future of homelessness sponsored by WIN, the largest provider of shelter and supportive housing for homeless families in the city, Yang said it would be “extraordinarily helpful” for the city to have shelters specifically for victims of domestic violence. The event was moderated by Spectrum NY1 reporter Courtney Gross who noted, “There are already a number of domestic violence shelters... They do already exist.”
Yang walked back his statements, his eyes darting to the right of his zoom screen, insisting he’d meant that there wasn’t enough capacity at such facilities.
“There are. Oh no, I, of course they do exist, so that’s one aspect of something we should be increasing capacity of,” he said, pivoting to talk about the need for more beds in psychiatric facilities. “There are a lot of things we should be increasing capacity of.”
As of last year, the city had 2,500 emergency beds for survivors of domestic violence and about 800 families are housed in the system on any given day, according to city figures.
Yang sat down with Gothamist / WNYC shortly after that press conference in Brooklyn Thursday and said running for mayor “has been a blast” and he’s learned so much about New York City in the process. He said his campaign has put out over 80 pages of policy that present a clear vision for the city but, he stressed, he doesn’t think people in government have all the answers.
“My goal as mayor will be to take the work that oftentimes others are doing and then augment it and amplify it. I'm not someone who thinks the government is going to have all of the answers or even most of the answers,” Yang explained. “I feel like oftentimes, especially in a place like New York, they'll be some nonprofit organization or activist group that is tackling it and has been working on it for years that you can build on and learn from.”
Update:
Yang actually passed the buck when asked and stumped on what his favorite Jay Z song was.
i asked new york mayoral candidate andrew yang what his favorite jay z song is pic.twitter.com/UV8tQJXta1
— ziwe (@ziwe) May 22, 2021
To paraphrase legendary Queensbridge rapper MC Shan, Yang needs to "kill that noise" with his campaign.
27 comments:
running for mayor “has been a blast” and he’s learned so much about New York City in the process.
Usually one would like someone who already knows a lot about New York City before getting into the race, hoping their knowledge about the city would inspire them to want to help the city they love. Several candidates fit that description ... but Mr. Yang is not one of them.
Sorry but deblasio is still the king of idiots. Anybody at this point would be better than mayor dumbdumb, even a sloth would be do better.
I think he lost a lot of respect with his Israel/Palestine comment. He made a statement, got heat from the Squad, then changed his statement. Regardless of what view he has for the Middle East the fact that he was so easily influenced by a bunch of radicals turned many people off. Imagine him in charge.
It’s very telling that this candidate for Mayor of NYC spent the pandemic upstate, and that he clearly has no real connection to the city. He appeared to be a sane voice amongst all the unqualified sycophants that are running. Sadly he’s just barely mediocre. same goes for a lot of the candidates for city council
NYC Good times are just around the corner. Keep voting Blue no matter who !
Everyone calm down—Dear Leader knows what’s best for YOU !
Well, at least he's not burying his nose in little girl curls.
Shocked! I’m shocked I tell you!
Yang should use Hiden’s campaign slogan, “Vote for me and I will do absolutely nothing in return”. Now there’s a pledge NYC voters would rally behind.
At least he doesn’t tweet mean tweets...
"Legendary rapper"? JQ. you listen to this kind of noise?
@GTA
Yes.
I love noise.
I love noise.
Except when it's coming from the speakers in those cars from the Willets Point parking lots...
I'm voting for Mr. Yin instead.
JQ must be too young to remeber the NYC free Saturday music concerts.
That was music... Rheingold/Schaefer Music Festivals in Central Park. The best days...
Queensbridge rapper MC Shan. I never heard of this idiot. Someone explain to us readers what makes this creature a "legend"?
PS When do the bullets fly and when does the blood flow at the recently dedicated Hip Hop "museum" in the Bronx.
PPS Yang's not so much an idiot but a coward for not admitting that this so-called "music" sucks.
Ok, so there’s a bunch of morons running on the Democrat ticket. I presume the fascists have a viable alternative? Ah ok, Curtis. Do we all have to run around in silly red uniforms if he gets elected?
@GTA
He's a legend in rap music only. I was only keeping it on topic. If Yang was asked about other music genres (say punk or goth, which he was actually really into in the 90's according to recently surfaced photos) I would have brought up others you never heard of too that are famous in those fields. And you're assessment about Yang is correct, he is a coward. Because the point is anybody who listened to hip hop in the 90's would have known a Jay Z song off the bat.
I don't think any bullets are going to fly at that hip hop museum. From the looks of it, it's going to be another Hunters Point. Not much has been written about the luxury public housing that's going to be built right next to it.
@Anon re: Central Park.
Yes I am a little bit younger. I bet those festivals must have been something else. I used to love schaefer beer too.
People who want to see what the $2000 a month guy will do for them will be very disappointed once he's in office. Peeps will hate Yang more than De Blasio.
Live on WNEW FM and a free show in central park ! Those days where amazing.
We use to go to the George Seuffert Bandshell in Forest Park for free concerts too.
Now public housing is "luxury"? Luxurious higher caliber bullets? Fatter rodents? Deeper urine levels on the elevator floors?
I love noise.
Except when it's coming from LaGuardia Airport using the TENNIS Climb !
Did Yang ever vote in NYC elections?
99 Bitches and every one pregnant
Did Yang ever vote in NYC elections?
He did not vote "in every mayoral election in New York City between 2001 and 2017."
Imagine this CLOWN giving it to us up the old ying yang,do the math.
His interview with the UFT was pathetic. He was given a list of topics for the session to prep. He made absolutely no effort to do so, nor did his ultra expensive handlers. Lives on another planet!!!
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