De Blasio 'shocked' by report on COVID czar partying during lockdowns

Former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said he was “shocked” by the recent report regarding a former New York City official in charge of the COVID-19 pandemic who admitted he was partying during lockdowns — all while telling others to stay at home.

“I had no knowledge of it,” de Blasio said during his Friday appearance on NewsNation’s show “The Hill.” 

“I find it disgusting and unacceptable,” he continued. “This is someone we trusted as a teammate to tell the people of New York City, from as extensive medical background, how we could keep everyone safe. And that also meant we all had to show integrity and consistency.”  

His remarks come as Jay K. Varma, who was City Hall’s senior health adviser under then-mayor de Blasio, acknowledged he attended sex and dance parties during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, despite telling the city’s residents to practice social distancing.

A video, which was posted by conservative podcaster Steven Crowder, showed Varma talking about a sex party he and his wife attended on Wall Street, The New York Times reported on Thursday. 

“We went to some, like underground, like dance party, like underneath a bank in Wall Street. And we were all rolling,” Varma said in the video. “We were all taking molly and everybody’s high and I was so happy because I hadn’t done that in a … year or whatever. But I was looking around like f‑‑‑, I wonder if anybody sees me, they’re gonna be pissed because this was not COVID-friendly.”

Varna told The Times the video was authentic but added that the recordings were “spliced, diced and taken out of context.” The physician told the outlet that, between August 2020 and June 2021, he went out to three parties.

“I take responsibility for not using the best judgment at the time,” Varma said.

During the height of the pandemic, he urged people to wear a mask and practice social distancing. He also contributed to making the city’s vaccine policies. 

De Blasio said he hopes Varma issues an apology, primarily to New York City's residents. 

“It's painful, it's unacceptable,” De Blasio said on Friday. “I have not heard the audio. I hope he has apologized to his colleagues, and, even more so, to the people in New York City. He owes everyone an apology, for sure.” 

NewsNation is owned by Nexstar Media Group which also owns The Hill.