Mayor Eric Adams admitted Friday that he was lobbied by former City Council Speaker Corey Johnson on behalf of the Brooklyn Nets before he granted exemptions from the city’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate to local athletes — including their star Kyrie Irving.
“Corey reached out, clearly stated he was speaking on behalf of the Nets when he reached out,” Adams said.
“I received calls from people who were against, and for. That happens in the city.”Adams also denied that Johnson’s lobbying efforts influenced his thinking.“I said: Corey, like any other person, I’m going based what my doctors are stating,” he said.
Adams’ remarks, during an unrelated news conference in Brooklyn, reversed his denial Thursday that he was lobbied ahead of his controversial move, which has sparked widespread outrage.
“I was not lobbied,” Adams claimed Thursday.
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.
A spokesperson said the company was complying with the city’s private-sector mandate and reviewing Embree’s application.
Alexandra Kosmetatos, a Queens public school teacher who’s on leave and collecting unemployment since being denied an exemption, said she voted for Adams and called his action Thursday “upsetting.”
“I feel like I’m nothing because I can’t work,” she said.
“I’m not a professional athlete, I’m not an entertainer, I’m not a millionaire and I can’t work. This is the profession I chose because this is what I like doing.”
Adams held his Thursday news conference at Citi Field, a location that raised eyebrows because the Mets’ billionaire owner, Steve Cohen, donated $1.5 million to a PAC that supported the mayor.
City records show that Johnson’s company, Cojo Strategies, was hired Feb. 8 for $18,000 a month by Nets General Counsel Jeff Gewirtz’ B-Cubed Holdings to lobby Adams and top City Hall aides regarding an executive order on health care policy.
His lobbying for the Nets was first reported by Politico.