Ex-Mayor Bill de Blasio and his wife, Chirlane McCray, are separating, the pair announced during a lengthy interview with The New York Times that was published Wednesday.
De Blasio, who occupied Gracie Mansion between 2014 and 2021, and McCray told the Paper of Record that after nearly 30 years of marriage they are splitting up and will start dating other people. The pair, however, said they won’t be getting a divorce and will continue to occupy the same Park Slope row house where they raised their two children, both of whom are now in their twenties.
The couple’s interracial status — de Blasio is white and McCray is Black — played a role in him winning the 2013 mayoral primary that brought him to City Hall, many political observers say.
During their interview with the Gray Lady, de Blasio and McCray said they decided to separate about two months ago after having a heart-to-heart conversation that revealed their marriage no longer resembled what it used to be.
“You can feel when things are off and you don’t want to live that way,” de Blasio told the Times.
McCray said she’s looking to have more “fun” with the new arrangement, seeking a relationship with someone who isn’t a public figure.
“I just want to have fun,” McCray said. “There’s a certain weight that goes with being with Mr. Mayor.”
They made clear that de Blasio’s eight years as mayor put a heavy strain on their marriage, given the intensive 24/7 schedule that comes with occupying the city’s top job.
“Everything was this overwhelming schedule, this sort of series of tasks,” de Blasio said. “And that kind of took away a little bit of our soul.”
De Blasio’s tenure as mayor was also marked by years of blistering press coverage, a failed long-shot presidential bid and a torrent of criticism over his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, which struck during his second to last year in office. The couple said that the pandemic, in particular, hindered their ability to plan their lives after the end of de Blasio’s mayoralty.
McCray, who ran a controversial mental health program within her husband’s administration known as Thrive NYC, said that his ill-fated 2020 presidential campaign also damaged their relationship.
“I thought it was a distraction,” McCray said. In response, De Blasio conceded his wife was right: “kind of true, point for Chirlane.”
14 comments:
I’ll file this one under the “Who cares?” Category.
As a NYC mayor, he sent his daughter to Berkeley, his son to Yale. NYC doesn't have a college good enough for his kids?
I'm thinking past the sale.
Married people under law can't be forced to testify against one another.
Spousal testimonial privilege called Spousal immunity. Just saying...
Where's the money Chirlie ? Show us the money... My f-ing taxes wasted.
Why is this HUGE news on every news station!!!!!!! But crickets on the $850 million that is still unaccounted for ??????
Bill "Cat moaning concerns me more than politics"
We need to see a pic of the new extended family.
Kitarra thanks expressing your drunk opinion.
Couldn't have happened to two nicer people.
He's looking to get back at the public office somewhere and having a black wife is not going to be acceptable wherever that place may be
The most nauseating political couple of all time. Even managed to beat out Bill and Hillary, though I'd assume the Deblasio's have a smaller body count. Hell, John Gotti had a smaller body count.
I couldn't vomit until I saw that photo. YUCK. and yeah, please keep your private business private.
Both are thieves. Isn't Shirl embarrassed to have stolen all that money?
So now that her kids are grown and she made lots of money doing nothing and had her 15 minutes of fame, I guess she's now going to pursue a life as the lesbian she was always meant to be.
@ Kitarra thanks expressing your drunk opinion.“
Take a hike, hatemonger!
AWWW shucks, does this mean they wont be airing re runs of Three's Company any longer? Just asking for a friend...
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