Mayor Adams Admits to Being Lobbied by Former City Council Speaker on Behalf of Nets to Waive COVID-19 Jab Mandate for Athletes

NYC Mayor Eric Adams became the country’s most hypocritical mayor by waiving the city’s private sector COVID-19 jab mandate strictly for professional athletes.

ON THE GROUND REPORT: Protestors Against COVID-19 Jab Mandate “Storm” Barclays Center to Stand With Kyrie Irving

Adams admitted on Friday that he was lobbied by former City Council Speaker Corey Johnson on behalf of the Brooklyn Nets to waive the mandate NYC's pro athletes, including Kyrie Irving.

“Corey reached out, clearly stated he was speaking on behalf of the Nets when he reached out,” Adams said.

Uh oh @teacher_choice looks like we have someone else to thank for "the Kyrie exemption" to the rule. Maybe that's what "we" should brand the movement and use it in court to save some of the jobs that's still pending on the docket? What do you guys think?https://t.co/ZhBb0UAG67

— Dion Jordan Powell, MPA (@DION_POWELL00) March 26, 2022

Politico first reported the lobbying efforts:

Among those lobbying City Hall on behalf of the Nets are The Parkside Group and former City Council Speaker Corey Johnson, according to public record. The Mets is owned by Steve Cohen, who donated $1.5 million to a political action committee backing Adams in the Democratic primary last year. Johnson advised Adams’ mayoral transition.

While Adams' move is a clear double standard that shows he values professional athletes more than working-class citizens, the Democrat mayor defended his actions.

The New York Post noted:

In response to questions from The Post on Friday, Adams denied that his order amounts to a double standard under which highly paid athletes can earn a living without getting vaccinated while regular New Yorkers remain subject to the mandate.

“No double standard,” he said. “I made a decision based on the information that I received from my health team, and I have the obligation to make those decisions on how I’m going to move my city forward.”

But Elissa Embree — a former waitress as the Mets’ Citi Field who was sent home from orientation last week for being unvaccinated — said the mayor was full of it.

“This is the epitome and textbook definition of a double standard. This is exactly what a double standard is,” she said.“He is picking and choosing who wins in the battle of COVID. ”The 43-year-old Harlem resident, who was featured on the front page of Friday’s Post, said she requested a vaccine exemption from food services giant Aramark nine days ago but hadn’t heard back.

If you're a NYC blue-collar worker, you're a nobody to Eric Adams.

However, the rich and famous can do as they please.

Unions slammed Adams for his hypocritical actions to waive COVID-19 jab mandates for athletes while city workers had to get vaccinated to retain their jobs.

NYPD union slams Mayor Eric Adams for axing vaccine mandate for 'famous people' immediately: NYC mayor rolls back mandate for athletes, like Kyrie Irving, and performers but not for cops....
via https://t.co/2FIvuL98TE#TheGreatAmericaShow https://t.co/wQZyw7W7wi

— Lou Dobbs (@LouDobbs) March 26, 2022

#NYC unions pondered new legal action in response to Mayor Adams’ decision to spare athletes and entertainers from the vaccine mandate requiring municipal workers to get a shot or lose their jobs. #VaccineMandates #Mandates #NewYork #Mandate https://t.co/XZK7bLPJ1K

— John Burnett (@IamJohnBurnett) March 25, 2022

New York City’s teachers union wants to know if unvaccinated teachers are getting their jobs back after Mayor Eric Adams cleared the way for Kyrie Irving to play at home. https://t.co/WOVvIvDYD3 via @ChalkbeatNY

— Erica Meltzer (@meltzere) March 24, 2022

“Mayor Adams is exempting professional athletes and celebrities from the de Blasio vaccine mandate, while at the same time terminating unvaccinated FDNY Firefighters from their jobs. Fires are not fought with a bat and a ball, they are fought by hero Firefighters, pic.twitter.com/YdRvIaRWmq

— FDNY UFA (@UFANYC) March 24, 2022

Adams doubled down on his hatred for working-class New Yorkers when asked if the city will rehire unvaccinated workers.

Per Fox News:

New York City Mayor Eric Adams said Thursday that his administration would not rehire unvaccinated city workers.

Around 1,400 city employees were fired earlier this year for failing to comply with the city's COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

Adams said, during a news conference at Citi Field, he did not plan to rehire them.

"Not at this time," he said, according to The Wall Street Journal, "We are not reviewing if we are going to bring [them] back."