Wednesday, Feb. 3, marked the 35th day of Zohran Mamdani’s term as mayor. amNewYork is following Mamdani around his first 100 days in office as we closely track his progress on fulfilling campaign promises, appointing key leaders to government posts, and managing the city’s finances. Here’s a summary of what the mayor did today.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s film-director mother’s name was mentioned several times in the newly released trove of documents tied to late pedophile and disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, prompting a slew of misinformation online that Hizzoner said Wednesday is “incredibly difficult.”
AI-generated images depicting Mamdani as a child alongside his mother, Mira Nair, and Epstein began circulating online following the latest document drop by the Department of Justice.
Nair is not accused of any wrongdoing, though one email exchange mentions that she attended an after-party at the home of Epstein’s convicted right-hand woman in 2009.
Other mentions in the files only reference her as being on the guest list for film industry parties that Epstein had shown interest in attending.
Despite this, AI-generated images began circulating late last week. Right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones was among those sharing the fake images to his 4.4 million followers on his X account, falsely claiming Mamdani “may be the illegitimate son of Epstein.”
The documents themselves mention Nair attending an afterparty at Ghislaine Maxwell’s Manhattan townhouse for her 2009 film “Amelia.”
According to an email from publicist Peggy Siegal to Epstein, the party included high-profile guests: “Just left Ghislaine’s townhouse…after party for film. Bill Clinton and Jeff Bezos were there…Jean Pigoni, director Mira Nair…etc. Film received tepid reaction although women like it much more…Hillary Swank and Gen: at stupid party in Bloomingdales cheap spomvear depanment (sic)…very weird. Studio went for free party from store and windows for a month…Going to be in Wall Street 2 tomorrow…more to come. xoxo Peg”
At an unrelated Feb. 4 press conference, when asked about the posts, Mamdani responded that it is “incredibly difficult to see images that you know to be fake, that are patently photoshopped and AI-generated, and yet can reach across the entirety of the world in an era of misinformation.”
He added, “There’s the old adage about how quickly a lie can spread in comparison to the truth.”
The mayor also noted broader concerns about AI, saying he had been “having a policy conversation with our school’s chancellor and his team on the question of AI within our school system” and that Gov. Kathy Hochul had recently proposed regulations for AI in elections.
Mamdani called the current system “ill-equipped for the speed and the reach of the technologies in front of us” and emphasized the need for regulatory frameworks at the city, state, and national levels.
“I think what we have to know is what the truth is. We share it with those and then we also have to work to ensure that we have a city, we have a state, we have a country that actually has a regulatory system when it comes to AI, because frankly, what it looks like today is a system that is ill equipped for the speed and the reach of the technologies in front of us,” he said.
Code Blue: Another New Yorker dies in the cold, Mamdani says
The death toll for the New Yorkers who have died outdoors during the city’s ongoing Code Blue rose to 17 on Wednesday, Mayor Mamdani confirmed.
Preliminary findings indicated hypothermia played a role in 13 cases; three appear to be overdose-related deaths, while one remains under investigation, he said.
“Each of these lives lost is a tragedy, and my heart is with the families who mourn their loved ones,” the mayor said.
Mamdani described the current cold spell as “one of the coldest conditions that the city has faced in its recorded history” and said city agencies have been working around the clock to protect vulnerable and homeless New Yorkers.
Since the code blue was declared on Jan. 19, more than 1,100 residents have been placed in shelters and safe havens, including 20 who were involuntarily transported after being deemed a danger to themselves or others.
The mayor also addressed complaints about slow or confusing 311 responses, pledging improvements.
“We are continuing to follow up to make sure that these are the operations that are operating at the best possible level,” he said, emphasizing that keeping New Yorkers safe in extreme cold requires maximizing every resource, including warming buses, warming centers, and safe haven sites.
Building on these efforts, Mamdani announced Wednesday that LinkNYC terminals across the city are broadcasting a public service announcement urging homeless New Yorkers to come indoors. The PSA explains how to use the kiosks to call 311 or connect directly to 911 for emergencies, providing a lifeline to warming shelters and other city services.
“With temperatures this low, being outside can be life-threatening. These kiosks are everywhere, they’re free to use, and they can be a lifeline,” Mamdani said.
NYCHA: Pumped up
Mamdani was in Rockaway on Wednesday to announce a $38.4 million investment to install electric heat pumps at NYCHA’s Beach 41st Street Houses development in Edgemere as part of efforts to bring reliable heating to NYCHA tenants across the city.
Mamdani said the eco-friendly electric heat pumps, installed at Woodside Houses in 2023, would provide reliable heat to all 712 units at the Beach 41st Street development.
The new pumps will replace traditional pumps powered by natural gas, which Mamdani said would provide more reliable, affordable, and environmentally-friendly heat for NYCHA residents. He added that it would take two years to install the new pumps at all 712 units in the development.
Citing data from the Woodside Houses pilot program, Mamdani said the new electric pumps had yielded 87% in energy savings while also allowing residents to heat their apartments in winter and prevent their homes from overheating in summer. The pumps will also improve hot water reliability and allow residents to control temperatures in their homes, he said.
On the other hand, traditional pumps powered by natural gas often fail to properly heat apartments on cold days but create sweltering conditions in the summer, according to the mayor’s office.
The mayor also announced that the pumps will be installed in 10,000 NYCHA apartments by 2030, with plans to eventually equip all 177,000 NYCHA apartments with electric pumps. Mamdani did not have an estimate for how much such a project would cost.
However, he said the pumps would offset the risk of fossil fuel supplies being disrupted, noting that ice flows have boxed out ships carrying essential fuel to millions of apartments in the city. Only ice-breaking ships supplied by the Coast Guard allowed fuel to reach the city.
In the short term, the city must stand ready to react to any heating issue that arises in NYCHA developments while the new pumps are being installed, Mamdani told QNS – amNewYork’s sister publication.
– With reporting from Shane O’Brien
