Gov. Kathy Hochul stated she was unaware of issues surrounding Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s undisclosed network of influencers, claiming she had not had time to process the new development and was focused on other priorities.

Hochul made these remarks to reporters in her New York City office, after a press conference announcing additional security funding for synagogues and other institutions facing hate crimes ahead of the Jewish High Holidays. She told reporters she was not aware of any legislation requiring disclosure of government-influencer relationships, comparing it to advertising disclosures.

"This is a new development. I don’t have an answer because we’ve not had a chance to process this," Hochul said. "I’m working on the crisis of the day."

When pressed for further comment on a report by the Columbia Journalism Review, which revealed that Mamdani’s office secretly communicated with approximately 200 influencers to disseminate its messages, Hochul appeared unfamiliar with key details of the city’s influencer operation. The report described an undisclosed, paid influencer campaign for city agencies since Mamdani took office and the administration’s refusal to publicly disclose its influencer group or communications.

"My understanding is they’re not being paid," Hochul said. "I’m not gonna go to City Hall and ask every influencer they talk to whether or not they’re paid."

Mamdani’s administration has faced criticism for using a Signal chat with auto-delete features for communications with influencers, a practice that critics argue circumvents public records retention laws. Hochul acknowledged her own staff's training on Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) requirements but deferred questions about City Hall's practices.

"Whatever is happening at City Hall, they can answer for it," Hochul said. "All of our staff in the state of New York have been trained on all the requirements of FOIL laws and what they’re obligated to do."

Ramzi Kassem, Mamdani's chief counsel, stated that the administration took "immediate corrective action" after the auto-erasing Signal chat was revealed, including reminding staff to disable the disappearing message feature. The Signal app requires users to manually change settings for each conversation to enable disappearing messages.

Hochul also indicated she was not aware of any legislative proposals addressing the matter, which government watchdogs have criticized on ethical grounds.

"I’m not aware of any laws that have been introduced by the City Council or the state legislature at this time," Hochul said.

City Council Member Phil Wong introduced a bill last week that would mandate clear disclosure from influencers paid by the city, requiring language such as "Paid for by the City of New York." The proposed legislation also aims for greater transparency regarding advertising firms and contracts involved in these arrangements. The City Council has scheduled an oversight hearing on Mamdani's influencer practices, including the use of Signal chats, for September 22.

At the state level, no proposal currently exists to address the disclosure of influencer communications during governing, although a similar proposal addresses disclosures during campaigns. Hochul commented that she would review any proposed legislation but also offered praise for Mamdani's approach.

"Every administration has their own way of communicating with the public, and this may be a new way to do it, but it certainly is effective," Hochul said.