New York City lawmakers called for an investigation Friday into former Mayor Bill de Blasio’s COVID Czar — after he was caught on hidden camera bragging about going to a drug-fueled sex party and hundreds of people in the middle of the epidemic.
Dr. Jay Varma — who served as de Blasio’s senior health adviser during the outbreak — confessed in a secretly recorded interview with an undercover member of the “Mug Club” by podcaster Steven Crowder.
In a letter sent to Speaker Adrienne Adams, Gale Brewer and Lynn Schulman urged Democratic congressional members to expose Varma — who said the clip was “out of context” but did not explicitly deny being partisan — along with de Blasio and the Health Commissioner. Dr. Dave Chokshi.
“Given the profound impact this epidemic has had on our City, we are outraged by the blatant hypocrisy and indifference of a public official entrusted with such a great responsibility,” the letter said.
Council member Robert Holden (D-Queens) also sent a letter to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and Acting New York Police Commissioner Thomas Donlon, urging a full investigation into Varma’s comments. about a 200-person drug-fueled sex trap in a basement. Wall Street bank during the summer of 2020.
“We saw accountability when Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government did the same thing, and we need the same level of accountability here,” Holden told the Post.
Joe Borrelli (R-Staten Island) tore into Varma’s comments in a video, saying “his professional opinion has caused thousands of New Yorkers great loss while businesses are reeling.”
“And the whole time he’s playing ‘who’s in my mouth’ and tearing up the phones like he was at Fyre Festival. Dr. Varma deserves to be flogged in public, although after a few strokes he would like that,” Borelli said.
Inna Vernikov (R-Brooklyn) asked how Varma could issue orders to New Yorkers and called for immediate action.
He said: “It’s time for the COVID Czar to face the consequences, just like a New Yorker would if they committed a theft on this scale.”
Vickie Paladino (R-Queens) said she was “horrified and offended” by Varma’s comments.
A compilation of hidden camera footage, all recorded between July 27 and Aug. 14 in New York, were released by Crowder on Thursday.
The Post has not reviewed the full, unredacted records.
Varma, who no longer works for City Hall, admitted to The Post that he “participated in two private meetings” between April 2020 and May 2021 — but ripped Chowder as “reprehensible. “
“In those secret conversations that were secretly recorded, classified, classified, and not talked about, I talked about the events that happened four years ago. Between April 2020 – May 2021, I participated in two private meetings. I take responsibility for not using the best judgment at the time,” he said in a statement.
The exact dates of the two private meetings remain unknown and it is not known what crime, if any, Varma may have been violating at the time.
The Post contacted the Council, the City, the NYPD and the DA for comment but did not immediately respond.
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