The results of the biggest experiment in Universal Basic Income (UBI) are in, and they&#8217;re not good.
Universal Basic Income is a welfare proposal embraced by progressive Democrats like Andrew Yang, who <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/where-does-andrew-yang-stand-issues-heres-josh-hammer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">popularized</a> the idea on the 2020 campaign trail.
The idea is the government gives every adult citizen free money unconditionally every month to meet their basic needs, which frees them up to start a business, stay home with their children, or invest in another goal.
In July, the National Bureau of Economic Research <a href="https://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w32719/w32719.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">analyzed</a> the biggest UBI program to date, which was run by two nonprofits. It was the &#8220;largest unconditional cash transfer program evaluated by a randomized controlled trial&#8221; ever done in the country, researchers said.
The program <a href="https://www.reviewjournal.com/opinion/editorials/editorial-universal-basic-income-fails-universally-3107111/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gave</a> $1,000 a month to 1,000 low-income individuals for three years. A control group of 2,000 people were given just $50 a month.
The average household income among participants, who were between the ages of 21 and 40, was $29,900, so with the extra money their income jumped by about 40%.
The result was that people <a href="https://www.openresearchlab.org/findings/key-findings-employment-and-income" target="_blank" rel="noopener">worked</a> less.
With an extra $1,000 hitting their bank accounts every month, recipients worked about 1.4 hours less per week. The romantic partners of recipients reduced their working hours by about the same amount.
The total individual income fell about $1,500 per year excluding the $1000, compared to the control group. For every one dollar received, total household income fell by at least 21 cents, and total individual income fell by at least 12 cents, not including the extra $1,000.
Labor market participation also dropped two percentage points among participants, the analysis found.
So what did participants do with their extra time?
Leisure time saw the biggest jump. Driving, errands, and self care saw smaller increases in time spent.
Participants spent less time searching for a job, taking care of children, and on self-improvement.
The results of the experiment are disastrous for supporters of UBI, who insist that low-income people would be disciplined in their use of a supplemental income, using it to climb out of poverty and invest in their future.
Back in 2019, &#8220;squad&#8221; member Representative Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) <a href="https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2019/6/12/18661492/rashida-tlaib-basic-income-cash-earned-income-tax-credit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">introduced</a> a bill to give every adult $3,000 a year even if they earn $0.
Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee for president, <a href="https://www.aei.org/op-eds/kamala-harris-authored-what-could-be-the-most-expensive-bill-ever/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">proposed</a> a bill during the pandemic while she was a California senator that would have given $2,000 a month to every adult, and more for up to three children. A family of five would have raked in an eye-popping $10,000 a month under Harris&#8217; legislation.
In reality, without the pressure to earn that extra $1,000 a month — enough to pay rent in many areas — people simply worked less and spent more time relaxing, this experiment found.
The results of the UBI experiment also carry implications for the many welfare programs that conservatives have long <a href="https://www.nationalreview.com/2023/10/missouris-conservative-welfare-reform-law-should-be-a-national-model/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">criticized</a> as trapping people in poverty.

man holding US one hundred Dollar bills

Disastrous Universal Basic Income Experiment Saw People Work Less, Relax More

Andrew Yang

Democrats

Economy

Harris 2024

Poverty

Trump 2024

President Joe Biden&#8217;s former political rival <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/andrew-yang" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Andrew Yang</a> delivered a scathing review of the current polls — particularly in swing states — and told South Carolina primary voters that if the election were held today, Biden would likely lose to former President Donald Trump.
Yang, who has endorsed Biden&#8217;s 2024 challenger Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN), <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/former-biden-rival-trump-wins-if-election-held-today-dnc-democracy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told Fox News Digital</a> that he had been approached by a number of voters who all had the same question: &#8220;Do you really think Joe could lose to Trump?&#8221;
The Forward Party founder did not mince words when he replied, saying, &#8220;Not only could he lose to Trump, but if the election were held today, he would lose to Trump, and the poll numbers are generally getting worse, not better.&#8221;
Yang also directed some criticism toward the Democratic National Committee, which he said was ignoring polling data and simply propping up the incumbent President Biden.
&#8220;The most extreme thing the DNC has done to stifle democracy is canceling the primaries in Florida and North Carolina and attempting to do so in another state or two. I mean, it’s ridiculous to talk about championing democracy on one hand and then literally canceling primaries on the other,&#8221; Yang protested. &#8220;So if Democrats want to practice democracy, that would involve having debates. That would involve having genuine competitive primaries. That would involve giving the people a choice.&#8221;
Yang continued in that same vein with a two-part post on X, showing poll after poll that showed just what a challenge the 2024 election would be for a president whose popularity has been consistently waning.
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-9096" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://onelink.to/dwapp&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1700760801843000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2PQrVSrJfhxNb4LcARqniG">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a>
&#8220;I’m sure the Democrats have a secret plan to re-elect the unpopular 81 year old incumbent with a 38% approval rating &#8230; or they are simply ignoring the 70+ polls that have Biden losing to Trump,&#8221; Yang posted, sharing a number of swing state polls that showed Trump leading Biden by three, four, even ten points.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<a href="https://t.co/cCIUddZrz6">pic.twitter.com/cCIUddZrz6</a>
&mdash; Andrew Yang🧢⬆️🇺🇸 (@AndrewYang) <a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewYang/status/1752715109904847190?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Democratic Presidential Candidate Dean Phillips Holds Campaign Rally In Manchester, New Hampshire On Eve Of Primary

‘I’m Sure The Democrats Have A Secret Plan’: Andrew Yang Delivers Scathing Review Of Biden Polls

'I'm Sure The Democrats Have A Secret Plan': Andrew Yang Delivers Scathing Review Of Biden Polls

Democratic Party

Elections

Executive

Joe Biden

Politics

One-time <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/democratic-party">Democratic</a> presidential candidate <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/he-wants-to-help-people-andrew-yang-defends-dave-chappelle-after-press-hit-job-on-school-visit/">Andrew Yang</a> warned on Tuesday that the <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/white-house-claims-it-was-blindsided-by-fbi-raid-on-trumps-mar-a-lago-reports/">FBI raid</a> of former President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/donald-trump">Donald Trump&#8217;s</a> Florida estate could backfire and help him politically — and newly-named &#8220;The View&#8221; cohost <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/thats-not-fairsuch-a-cheap-shot-the-view-blows-up-as-alyssa-farah-griffin-and-kellyanne-conway-clash/">Alyssa Farah Griffin</a> agreed.
Yang laid out his case in a series of tweets, arguing that whether or not the raid was justified, it appeared to the general public to be politically motivated — and that, he said, would only help to galvanize Trump supporters who already believed that the system had been rigged against him from the beginning.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
It seems like this was authorized by a local judge and a particular FBI office without buy-in or notification of higher levels of government. But literally no one will believe that or make a distinction. It’s probably bureaucratic but it seems political.
&mdash; Andrew Yang🧢⬆️🇺🇸 (@AndrewYang) <a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewYang/status/1556987742369767429?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;I’m no Trump fan. I want him as far away from the White House as possible. But a fundamental part of his appeal has been that it’s him against a corrupt government establishment. This raid strengthens that case for millions of Americans who will see this as unjust persecution,&#8221; Yang began.
He went on to explain that no matter what the actual justification was for the raid of Mar-a-Lago, most people would have a hard time seeing past the political appearance to recognize that.
&#8220;It seems like this was authorized by a local judge and a particular FBI office without buy-in or notification of higher levels of government. But literally no one will believe that or make a distinction. It’s probably bureaucratic but it seems political,&#8221; he said.
Quoting a piece from Politico, he added, &#8220;&#8216;If they raided his home just to find classified documents he took from The White House,&#8217; one legal expert noted, &#8216;he will be re-elected president in 2024, hands down. It will prove to be the greatest law enforcement mistake in history.'&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
“If they raided his home just to find classified documents he took from The White House,” one legal expert noted, “he will be re-elected president in 2024, hands down. It will prove to be the greatest law enforcement mistake in history.” <a href="https://t.co/xMznFPn0UG">https://t.co/xMznFPn0UG</a>
&mdash; Andrew Yang🧢⬆️🇺🇸 (@AndrewYang) <a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewYang/status/1556989150687072256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Alyssa Farah Griffin, who previously worked in the Trump White House and was recently tapped to fill the lone conservative seat on ABC&#8217;s &#8220;The View,&#8221; offered a similar assessment during a Tuesday morning appearance on CNN&#8217;s &#8220;New Day.&#8221;
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
&quot;This, I’m hoping, goes beyond simply not complying with some archiving laws, or DOJ just handed Donald Trump the Republican nominee and potentially the presidency,&quot; says new &quot;The View&quot; host Alyssa Farah Griffin. <a href="https://t.co/pAxeSkbl5U">pic.twitter.com/pAxeSkbl5U</a>
&mdash; Virginia Kruta (@VAKruta) <a href="https://twitter.com/VAKruta/status/1557080004974051328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;This, I’m hoping, goes beyond simply not complying with some archiving laws, or DOJ just handed Donald Trump the Republican nominee and potentially the presidency,&#8221; she told anchors Brianna Keilar and <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/next-week-harvey-weinstein-cnns-john-berman-blows-up-over-rudy-giulianis-masked-singer-debut/">John Berman</a>. &#8220;If it’s seen as some sort of massive overreach and not something incredibly serious, this is a very good day for Donald Trump.&#8221;
&#8220;By the way, he knows how to play this up in his favor. He more or less broke this news,&#8221; she continued, noting that the former president had gone public with a statement about the raid almost as soon as people began reporting that it was underway.
&#8220;A Florida-based reporter had something, but he was ready to go, I’ve actually seen quite — kind of aligned messaging among Republicans. &#8216;This is, you know, a banana republic,&#8217; &#8216;this shouldn’t happen,&#8217; &#8216;if they do it to a president, the FBI will do it to you,'&#8221; she continued. &#8220;I think he’s having a good day as of now, so I hope the FBI&#8217;s buttoned up on this.&#8221;

New York City Mayoral Candidate Andrew Yang Holds Get Out The Vote Rally Days Before Primary

Andrew Yang Warns Raid Could Backfire And Help Trump — New Host Of ‘The View’ Agrees

Andrew Yang Warns Raid Could Backfire And Help Trump — Alyssa Farah Griffin Agrees

2024 Election

Donald Trump

The View

Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis on Wednesday responded to comments from tech billionaire Elon Musk — who revealed he was leaning toward supporting DeSantis in the 2024 presidential race — by saying he welcomes &#8220;support from African-Americans.&#8221;
Musk, who is white, was born in Pretoria, South Africa, in 1971. He became an American citizen in 2002, thus technically making him an African-American.
&#8220;I&#8217;m focused on 2022,&#8221; DeSantis said at a press conference, &#8220;but with Elon Musk, what I would say is you know I welcome support from African-Americans. What can I say?&#8221;
The line drew laughs from those around him in the room.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
&quot;I&#39;m focused on 2022, but with <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@elonmusk</a> what I would say is you know I welcome support from African-Americans. What can I say?&quot; &#8211; <a href="https://twitter.com/GovRonDeSantis?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GovRonDeSantis</a> <a href="https://t.co/SuWQVLMORE">pic.twitter.com/SuWQVLMORE</a>
&mdash; Robbie Myers (@robbievmyers) <a href="https://twitter.com/robbievmyers/status/1537098457550360576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 15, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Outlets like the satirical Babylon Bee have long poked fun at leftist organizations for attacking Musk. In March, the outlet ran a story <a href="https://babylonbee.com/news/snl-writers-criticize-successful-african-american-businessman">titled</a>, &#8220;SNL Writers Denigrate Successful African-American Businessman.&#8221;
On Wednesday, The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/elon-musk-tips-hat-toward-ron-desantis-to-be-next-president-of-the-united-states">reported</a> that Musk is &#8220;leaning towards&#8221; supporting DeSantis in 2024 after tweeting that he had backed the Republican candidate who made history in south Texas on Tuesday night.
“I voted for Mayra Flores – first time I ever voted Republican,” Musk announced late Tuesday evening. “Massive red wave in 2022,&#8221; he predicted.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I voted for Mayra Flores – first time I ever voted Republican.
Massive red wave in 2022.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1536973965394157569?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 15, 2022</a></blockquote>
Flores won a special election in Texas’s 34th Congressional District, becoming the first Republican to Congress <a href="https://people.com/politics/republican-mayra-flores-flips-house-seat-south-texas-first-mexican-born-congresswoman/">elected</a> in that district in more than 100 years.
In a follow-up question, an account asked Musk, &#8220;What are you leaning towards?&#8221; for president in 2022. Musk simply responded, “DeSantis.” Musk stopped short of an endorsement.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
DeSantis
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1536976484446904320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 15, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>“I supported Yang last time, but DeSantis has a better chance of winning,” Musk explained.
The Daily Wire also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/elon-musk-doubles-down-on-who-he-is-supporting-in-upcoming-midterms">noted</a> that Musk recently doubled down on supporting the Republican Party for the upcoming midterms because of how Democrats have treated him.
“I support free speech, but not any one candidate,” Musk said on Twitter this past spring. “In fact, I gave money to &amp; voted for Hillary &amp; then voted for Biden. However, given unprovoked attacks by leading Democrats against me &amp; a very cold shoulder to Tesla &amp; SpaceX, I intend to vote Republican in November.”
“Like I’m not sure, I might never have voted for a Republican, just to be clear,” Musk also said. “Now this election I will.”
While there is no indication that DeSantis is considering a run for the GOP nomination in 2024, several polls have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/desantis-wins-wisconsin-gop-poll-of-possible-2024-presidential-candidates">shown</a> him to be a top contender if he throws his hat into the ring.
Related:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/desantis-downplays-straw-polling-showing-him-besting-trump">DeSantis Downplays Straw Polling Showing Him Besting Trump</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/field-of-more-than-a-dozen-candidates-takes-shape-for-2024-gop-presidential-nomination">Field Of More Than A Dozen Candidates Takes Shape For 2024 GOP Presidential Nomination</a></li>
</ul>
&nbsp;

Elon Musk, Ron DeSantis

‘I Welcome Support From African-Americans’: DeSantis Responds To Elon Musk’s Name-Drop

'I Welcome Support From African-Americans': DeSantis Responds To Elon Musk's Name-Drop

Elon Musk

Florida

Republican Party

Ron DeSantis

Earlier this week, former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang “entered the chat” that is the ongoing Joe Rogan podcast &#8220;scandal.&#8221; Yang posted multiple tweets in support of Rogan, but then proceeded to delete those same tweets hours later following a left-wing backlash. Yang additionally apologized for any &#8220;hurt&#8221; he may have caused.
“I don’t think Joe Rogan is a racist — the man interacts with and works with black people literally all of the time,” Yang <a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewYang/status/1490495632481599490?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">posted</a> to Twitter, in response to criticism regarding Rogan’s quotation of racial slurs.
“Do I know black friends of Joe’s who would swear by him? Yes I do,” he <a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewYang/status/1490497666333253633?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">added</a>.
Yang was immediately <a href="https://twitchy.com/gregp-3534/2022/02/06/this-is-a-joke-right-andrew-yang-is-getting-dragged-by-lib-blue-checks-including-the-dnc-chair-for-defending-joe-rogan/">condemned</a> by various left-wing figures and activists. For example, Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison <a href="https://twitter.com/harrisonjaime/status/1490498849856802819">replied</a>, “Dude… seriously?! You joking right Andrew? Is that now the new defining line… working with folks?!”
Following the instant blowback, Yang deleted the two posts and issued an <a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewYang/status/1490555652175015936">apology</a>.
“I like to believe the best of people — especially if I’ve met and spent time with that person. Sometimes it makes me miss something. I think we should have the capacity to forgive people – whether a podcaster or a mayor — if they mess up. Maybe it’s because I mess up too,” Yang wrote. “Racism is real, deep, corrosive and even lethal. I know that. I made a mistake in an earlier tweet tonight that downplayed these realities.”
“I deleted the tweet because it was wrong-headed. It also hurt people, which is never my intent. I’m sorry. I’m learning and appreciate those who reached out to express their feelings,” he continued. “I like to believe the work I’ve done these past years had the goal of uplifting everyone, particularly those on the outside looking in for any reason, be it poverty or marginalization or race. I’ve always wanted to help those with the least the most.”
“I’m going to keep doing all I can for a more fair, equitable, and just country. That means for everyone. Universal Basic Income, Democracy Reform and unity are how we get there,” Yang concluded.
While Yang was criticized by both sides — by one for defending Rogan, and by the other for deleting and apologizing for his defense — it&#8217;s important to understand that this move is actually part of a pattern for the former presidential candidate.
As a New York City mayoral hopeful in May 2021, Yang expressed support for Israel after citizens in the Jewish state were being targeted by indiscriminate rocket fire by Hamas terrorists in Palestinian territory.
“I’m standing with the people of Israel who are coming under bombardment attacks, and condemn the Hamas terrorists,” Yang <a href="https://nypost.com/2021/05/11/andrew-yang-sparks-yangsupportsgenocide-after-backing-israel/">tweeted</a> at the time. “The people of NYC will always stand with our brothers and sisters in Israel who face down terrorism and persevere.”
And just as was the case with his initial defense of Joe Rogan, Yang was immediately condemned from the left. #YangSupportsGenocide even started trending. 
“Utterly shameful for Yang to try to show up to Eid event after sending out a chest-thumping statement of support for a strike killing 9 children, especially after his silence as Al-Aqsa was attacked,” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez <a href="https://twitter.com/AOC/status/1392220241472720897">responded</a>. “But then to try that in Astoria? During Ramadan?! They will let you know.”
Just one day later, Yang capitulated to the mob, <a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewYang/status/1392450726010531844">apologizing</a> for his tweet.
“I spoke to a group of volunteers for the campaign yesterday, some of whom have been with me for years. Many of them were upset with my recent tweet expressing solidarity with the people of Israel in conjunction with the violence in the region this week that has claimed the lives of innocents and children on both sides,” Yang wrote.
“They expressed to me that they follow and support me for a number of reasons, one is that I am a clear-headed person who follows facts. The other is that I am a human being who stands for universal values of fellowship and goodwill. They felt that my tweet was overly simplistic in my treatment of a conflict that has a long and complex history full of tragedies. And they felt it failed to acknowledge the pain and suffering on both sides,” Yang continued, adding, “They were, of course, correct.”
“I mourn for every Palestinian life taken before its time as I do for every Israeli. Suffering and pain and violence and death suffered by anyone hurts us all. All people want to be able to live in peace. We all want that for ourselves and our children,” Yang went on.
“Support of a people does not make one blind to the pain and suffering of others,” Yang wrote. “Again, most everyone simply wants to be able to live and pray in peace.”
“And that is what we want as well,” he continued. “I join with millions around the world in praying that the current situation be resolved as quickly as possible, peacefully and with minimal suffering.”
“For those who have spoken to me on this – thank you,” Yang concluded. “Continue to believe in humanity.”
For many, Yang’s strength in the face of pressure and his determination to push his system of beliefs was something that set him aside from others in the stereotypical political realm. His demonstrated pattern of 180-degree capitulation, however, might tear away this image, leaving supporters with just another politician whose strategy remains “one step forward, one step back.”
Ian Haworth is an Editor and Writer for The Daily Wire. Follow him on Twitter at<a href="https://twitter.com/ighaworth"> @ighaworth</a>.
The views expressed in this opinion piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

‘I’m Sorry’: After Defending Joe Rogan, Andrew Yang‘s Apologetic Reversal Is Part Of A Pattern

Joe Rogan

Former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang on Sunday posted tweets in support of popular podcast host Joe Rogan, but hours later deleted the posts over left-wing backlash and issued a Twitter thread apologizing for hurting people.
&#8220;I don’t think Joe Rogan is a racist &#8211; the man interacts with and works with black people literally all of the time,&#8221; Yang <a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewYang/status/1490495632481599490?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">posted</a> to Twitter.
&#8220;Do I know black friends of Joe&#8217;s who would swear by him? Yes I do,&#8221; he <a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewYang/status/1490497666333253633?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">added</a>.
Below is a screenshot of one of Yang&#8217;s tweets.
<div id="attachment_339802" style="width: 728px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-339802" class="wp-image-339802 " src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Screen-Shot-2022-02-07-at-12.03.11-PM-877x576.png" alt="" width="718" height="471" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/02/Screen-Shot-2022-02-07-at-12.03.11-PM-877x576.png 877w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/02/Screen-Shot-2022-02-07-at-12.03.11-PM-300x197.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/02/Screen-Shot-2022-02-07-at-12.03.11-PM-768x504.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/02/Screen-Shot-2022-02-07-at-12.03.11-PM-1536x1009.png 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/02/Screen-Shot-2022-02-07-at-12.03.11-PM.png 1876w" sizes=" (max-width: 718px) 100vw, 718px" />Screenshot via Twitter</div>
Yang, who has appeared on Rogan&#8217;s podcast in the past, was met with left-wing anger, Twitchy <a href="https://twitchy.com/gregp-3534/2022/02/06/this-is-a-joke-right-andrew-yang-is-getting-dragged-by-lib-blue-checks-including-the-dnc-chair-for-defending-joe-rogan/">outlined</a>. Notably, Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison replied to Yang, &#8220;Dude… seriously?! You joking right Andrew? Is that now the new defining line… working with folks?!&#8221;
Yang quickly deleted the two posts and issued an apology.
&#8220;I like to believe the best of people &#8211; especially if I’ve met and spent time with that person. Sometimes it makes me miss something. I think we should have the capacity to forgive people &#8211; whether a podcaster or a mayor &#8211; if they mess up. Maybe it’s because I mess up too,&#8221; the politician started the thread. &#8220;Racism is real, deep, corrosive and even lethal. I know that. I made a mistake in an earlier tweet tonight that downplayed these realities.&#8221;
&#8220;I deleted the tweet because it was wrong-headed. It also hurt people, which is never my intent. I’m sorry. I’m learning and appreciate those who reached out to express their feelings,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;I like to believe the work I’ve done these past years had the goal of uplifting everyone, particularly those on the outside looking in for any reason, be it poverty or marginalization or race. I’ve always wanted to help those with the least the most.&#8221;
&#8220;I’m going to keep doing all I can for a more fair, equitable, and just country. That means for everyone. Universal Basic Income, Democracy Reform and unity are how we get there,&#8221; Yang closed the thread.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
I like to believe the best of people &#8211; especially if I’ve met and spent time with that person. Sometimes it makes me miss something. I think we should have the capacity to forgive people &#8211; whether a podcaster or a mayor &#8211; if they mess up. Maybe it’s because I mess up too.
&mdash; Andrew Yang🧢⬆️🇺🇸 (@AndrewYang) <a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewYang/status/1490555652175015936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2022</a></blockquote>
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I deleted the tweet because it was wrong-headed. It also hurt people, which is never my intent. I’m sorry. I’m learning and appreciate those who reached out to express their feelings.
&mdash; Andrew Yang🧢⬆️🇺🇸 (@AndrewYang) <a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewYang/status/1490560838117335040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2022</a></blockquote>
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I’m going to keep doing all I can for a more fair, equitable, and just country. That means for everyone. Universal Basic Income, Democracy Reform and unity are how we get there.
&mdash; Andrew Yang🧢⬆️🇺🇸 (@AndrewYang) <a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewYang/status/1490571963936477184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Rogan on Saturday morning <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/author-pushes-to-cancel-joe-rogan-for-quoting-n-word-then-someone-looks-up-use-of-n-word-in-his-books">posted</a> a video to Instagram addressing his use of the N-word on past podcast episodes. “There’s been a lot of s*** from the old episodes of the podcast that I wish I hadn’t said, or had said differently. This is my take on the worst of it,” he captioned the post. 
“I never used it to be racist, because I’m not racist,” Rogan said in the video. “But whenever you’re in a situation where you have to say, ‘I’m not racist,’ you f***ed up. And I clearly have f***ed up.”
Spotify CEO Daniel Ek <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/spotify-stands-by-joe-rogan-after-n-word-controversy-canceling-voices-is-a-slippery-slope">said</a> Sunday he was not going to remove Rogan from the platform.
“While I strongly condemn what Joe has said and I agree with his decision to remove past episodes from our platform, I realize some will want more,” Ek said. “And I want to make one point very clear – I do not believe that silencing Joe is the answer. We should have clear lines around content and take action when they are crossed, but canceling voices is a slippery slope. Looking at the issue more broadly, it’s critical thinking and open debate that powers real and necessary progress.”
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/author-pushes-to-cancel-joe-rogan-for-quoting-n-word-then-someone-looks-up-use-of-n-word-in-his-books">Author Pushes To Cancel Joe Rogan For Quoting N-Word. Then Someone Looks Up Use Of N-Word In His Books.</a>
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-mob-keeps-coming-to-silence-joe-rogan-but-joe-rogan-is-bigger-than-the-mob">The Mob Keeps Coming To Silence Joe Rogan. But Joe Rogan Is Bigger Than The Mob, If He Recognizes It Or Not.</a>
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/what-joe-rogan-got-very-right-in-his-response-to-spotify-drama-and-the-one-thing-he-got-wrong">What Joe Rogan Got Very Right In His Response To Spotify Drama — And The One Thing He Got Wrong</a>

Andrew Yang Speaks Out Against Asian Hate Crimes After Shootings In Atlanta

Andrew Yang Deletes Tweets Saying Joe Rogan’s Not Racist After Left-Wing Backlash, Apologizes

Racism

Former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang stepped up to defend comedian Dave Chappelle after what he referred to as a &#8220;press hit job&#8221; attacking Chappelle over some comments he made while speaking to students at his old school.
&#8220;I was endorsed by a number of celebrities. Dave Chappelle is the only one who came to Iowa and South Carolina to perform on my behalf &#8211; with proceeds going to the campaign &#8211; and even made phone calls and hung out with staff. He did it because he wants to help people. Great guy,&#8221; <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/andrew-yang-says-he-has-left-democratic-party/">Yang</a> tweeted on Friday.
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I was endorsed by a number of celebrities. Dave Chappelle is the only one who came to Iowa and South Carolina to perform on my behalf &#8211; with proceeds going to the campaign &#8211; and even made phone calls and hung out with staff. He did it because he wants to help people. Great guy. <a href="https://t.co/6cGMcGf3ay">pic.twitter.com/6cGMcGf3ay</a>
— Andrew Yang🧢⬆️🇺🇸 (@AndrewYang) <a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewYang/status/1464242194391437312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 26, 2021</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;The press hit job on his visiting his high school is awful,&#8221; Yang continued in a second tweet. &#8220;Successful alum who fundraises for school returns, speaks to students and gives everyone a free meal for Thanksgiving. But of course in 2021 an obvious positive gesture is framed negatively in the media.&#8221;
&#8220;To get a better sense, check out the new documentary ‘Untitled’ when you can on what Dave did through Covid. Should be available via streaming soon. He helped a lot of people. That’s the kind of person he is,&#8221; Yang added.
<a href="https://dailywire.com/news/dave-chappelle-responds-after-his-old-high-school-disinvites-him-from-speaking/">Chappelle</a> took some heat for a surprise visit he made to his alma mater, Washington, D.C.&#8217;s <a href="https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/dave-chappelle-high-school-1235120167/">Duke Ellington High School</a>, according to <a href="https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook/2021/11/25/a-dave-chappelle-thanksgiving-special-495228">Politico Playbook</a>:
<blockquote>During a Q&amp;A session, one student stepped to the mic and called Chappelle a “bigot,” adding, “I’m 16 and I think you’re childish, you handled it like a child,” according to two students present. The comments were confirmed by Chappelle’s spokesperson CARLA SIMS.
NO APOLOGIES: Chappelle responded, as recalled the next day by the students, “My friend, with all due respect, I don’t believe you could make one of the decisions I have to make on a given day.” That peeved some students who were hoping for an apology or some semblance of one from Chappelle.
In response to another antagonistic question, Chappelle roughly told the student body of artists: “I’m better than every instrumentalist, artist, no matter what art you do in this school, right now, I’m better than all of you. I’m sure that will change. I’m sure you’ll be household names soon.”
The students recalled that another student in the audience shouted at him, “Your comedy kills,” and Chappelle shot back, “N&#8212;&#8212; are killed every day.” He then asked, “The media’s not here, right?”</blockquote>
Chappelle&#8217;s spokesperson, Carla Sims, said that the comedian was going out of his way to help the school, noting that he had raised hundreds of thousands of dollars in those efforts.
Despite a few antagonistic questions and responses, students said that Chappelle&#8217;s tone and demeanor changed as the event came to a close and he addressed the fact that some students had received death threats after protesting against him.
&#8220;He said, ‘This is my family and whether they know it or not I love these kids. … I don’t want to hear about any threats to these kids. These kids don’t deserve that,'&#8221; one student told <a href="https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook/2021/11/25/a-dave-chappelle-thanksgiving-special-495228">Politico</a>.
Chappelle left the students with tickets to a screening of his new documentary — &#8220;<a href="https://variety.com/2021/film/reviews/untitled-dave-chappelle-documentary-review-1235105637/">Untitled</a>&#8221; — which chronicles the comedian&#8217;s efforts to keep engaging audiences and entertaining people despite the restrictions imposed due to the coronavirus pandemic. He also provided 600 Thanksgiving meals for Duke Ellington students and staff members.

Andrew Yang Campaigns At Cedar Falls Woman’s Club

‘He Wants To Help People’: Andrew Yang Defends Dave Chappelle After ‘Press Hit Job’ On School Visit

Comedy

Dave Chappelle

Kyle Rittenhouse told Fox News host Tucker Carlson that, although he is trying to stay out of politics for the time being, he liked some of the policies espoused by former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang.
Calling <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/andrew-yang-says-he-has-left-democratic-party/">Yang</a> &#8220;a good dude,&#8221; <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/rittenhouse-interview-asked-about-future-in-politics-talks-possible-name-change-beard/">Rittenhouse</a> said that he liked the Silicon Valley entrepreneur, but added, &#8220;I didn&#8217;t know much about politics. I was just a 17-year-old kid.&#8221;
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In a previously unaired segment from his interview with Tucker Carlson, Kyle Rittenhouse reacts to portrayals of Gaige Grosskreutz as a hero, and reveals that he was part of the &#8220;Yang Gang.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/uzRmSe2Tfw">pic.twitter.com/uzRmSe2Tfw</a>
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) <a href="https://twitter.com/TPostMillennial/status/1463682017703436289?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 25, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Carlson began the segment with a comment about Gaige Grosskreutz, who was one of the three men Rittenhouse shot in self-defense during an August, 2020 riot in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
&#8220;Gaige Grosskreutz stuck a loaded gun in your face,&#8221; Carlson said, noting that Grosskreutz had not been charged with any crimes pursuant to his interaction with Rittenhouse.
&#8220;He — I told him I was going to the police and he pointed a gun at my head. And from what I remember — time slowed down — I just remember staring down the barrel of a pistol thinking I&#8217;m about to die,&#8221; Rittenhouse paused and took a deep breath before continuing.
&#8220;He hasn&#8217;t been charged with a single crime, and what&#8217;s really disturbing is that his DUI case was dropped right before my trial so my attorneys couldn&#8217;t ask him about it,&#8221; <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/rittenhouse-on-if-hes-been-watched-over-i-believe-gods-been-on-my-side-from-the-beginning/">Rittenhouse</a> continued, noting that the case had been officially closed just a week before the trial began.
Carlson went on to ask Rittenhouse whether he was surprised to see legacy media outlets painting Grosskreutz as &#8220;a hero.&#8221;
&#8220;I don&#8217;t see him as — In my opinion, there&#8217;s no winners in this case, there&#8217;s no heroes in this case. I defended myself, I was attacked,&#8221; Rittenhouse replied, adding, &#8220;I think it&#8217;s actually quite sickening how Mr. Huber and Mr. Grosskreutz are described as heroes when it&#8217;s on video that they attempted to murder me in the middle of the street.&#8221;
&#8220;So what&#8217;s the message you think the media are sending by describing them as heroes?&#8221; Carlson asked.
Rittenhouse said that the message he got was that &#8220;they&#8217;re saying you can go out and riot and attack anybody and you will have the support from the media and the politicians to do whatever you want and kill innocent people.&#8221;
<a href="https://dailywire.com/news/tucker-a-rapist-called-joseph-rosenbaum-died-as-he-had-lived-trying-to-touch-an-unwilling-minor/">Carlson</a> pivoted to politics then, asking Rittenhouse whether he had had any interest in politics before the protests, the shootings and the subsequent trial.
&#8220;I’m going to get a lot of hate for this, but I was a pretty big Andrew Yang supporter before all this,&#8221; Rittenhouse said, prompting a loud laugh from Carlson.
&#8220;Were you really? You were part of the Yang Gang?&#8221; he asked. &#8220;I like Yang.&#8221;
&#8220;I was part of the Yang Gang. He’s a good dude,&#8221; Rittenhouse said.
&#8220;I wasn’t really into politics. I didn’t know much about Trump. I didn’t know much about Biden. I went to a Trump rally because Trump supports the police. He’s a businessman. That’s what I liked about Trump. I didn’t know much about politics. I was just a 17-year-old kid,&#8221; Rittenhouse added.
&#8220;But you liked Andrew Yang,&#8221; Carlson said again.
&#8220;I liked Andrew Yang,&#8221; Rittenhouse replied. &#8220;I liked his policy a little bit.&#8221;
&#8220;Yeah. Well, he’s a very smart, interesting guy,&#8221; Carlson said, asking Rittenhouse whether his experiences over the last year and throughout the trial had changed his politics.
&#8220;I don&#8217;t know,&#8221; Rittenhouse said. &#8220;I&#8217;ve been trying to stay out of politics completely, like, no matter what direction I&#8217;m gonna go, there&#8217;s going to be people that don&#8217;t support me no matter what. So I think it&#8217;s just in my best interest to avoid politics, because I&#8217;m not a political person. I&#8217;m just a person who was attacked and defended myself.&#8221;

Jury Deliberates In Kyle Rittenhouse Trial

‘He’s A Good Dude’: Kyle Rittenhouse Says He Was Part Of The ‘Yang Gang’

Kenosha

Kyle Rittenhouse

Tucker Carlson

Andrew Yang said Monday that he has left the Democratic Party and is now officially an Independent.
The technology entrepreneur, who launched a longshot bid for the Democratic presidential nomination and later ran unsuccessfully for New York City mayor, published a <a href="https://www.andrewyang.com/blog/breaking-up-with-the-democratic-party">blog post</a> on Monday saying he is &#8220;breaking up&#8221; with the Democratic Party.
&#8220;I changed my voting registration from ‘Democrat’ to ‘Independent’ today. It was a strangely emotional experience,&#8221; Yang wrote.
Despite a lifetime of being a Democrat and voting Democrat as well as still having many friends deeply involved in the party, Yang said, &#8220;I’m confident that no longer being a Democrat is the right thing.&#8221;
&#8220;So why do I feel in my heart that this is the right move?&#8221; Yang said. &#8220;While it was simply a small piece of paperwork, I genuinely felt a shift in my mindset as soon as I signed it.&#8221;
Yang cited the country&#8217;s increasing &#8220;polarization&#8221; as one of his reasons for distancing himself from the party, saying he is &#8220;more comfortable trying to fix the system than being a part of it.&#8221;
&#8220;My goal is to do as much as I can to advance our society. There are phenomenal public servants doing great work every day – but our system is stuck. It is stuck in part because polarization is getting worse than ever,&#8221; Yang wrote. &#8220;Many of the people I know are doing all of the good they can – but their impact is constrained. Now that I’m not a member of one party or another, I feel like I can be even more honest about both the system and the people in it.&#8221;
Yang said that he originally registered as a Democrat in 1995 when he was 20 to vote for Bill Clinton’s re-election and remained a &#8220;staunch Democrat&#8221; throughout his 20s.
&#8220;It was a no-brainer for me. I went to a college that was very liberal. I lived in New York City. Everyone around me was a Democrat.&#8221;
&#8220;When Trump won, I was surprised and took it as a red flag and call to action. Having spent six years working in the Midwest and the South I believed I had some insight as to what had driven Trump’s victory. I spent several years making the case for what I believed was the major policy that could address it – Universal Basic Income,&#8221; Yang wrote.
Yang&#8217;s &#8220;Freedom Dividend,&#8221; a universal basic income (UBI) of $1,000 a month to every U.S. adult, was the policy that catapulted him into the public eye during the 2020 Democratic primaries.
Yang suspended his presidential campaign in February last year after the New Hampshire primary and joined CNN as a political commentator. Earlier this year, he ran in the Democratic primary for New York City mayor, leading the polls in the race&#8217;s early days but conceding after early results showed him trailing Eric Adams.
Yang said Monday that he sees open primaries and ranked-choice voting as “key reforms” to allowing voters more choice in elections.
He added that on a &#8220;personal level&#8221; he feels he and the Democratic Party have always been &#8220;something of an odd fit,&#8221; describing himself as more &#8220;practical&#8221; than &#8220;ideological.&#8221;
&#8220;Making partisan arguments – particularly expressing what I often see as performative sentiment – is sometimes uncomfortable for me. I often think, &#8216;Okay, what can we actually do to solve the problem?&#8217; I’m pretty sure there are others who feel the same way I do,&#8221; Yang wrote.
&#8220;I’ve seen politicians publicly eviscerate each other and then act collegial or friendly backstage a few minutes later. A lot of it is theatre,&#8221; Yang warned.
&#8220;I believe I can reach people who are outside the system more effectively. I feel more . . . independent,&#8221; Yang wrote.

New York City Mayoral Candidate Andrew Yang Receives Endorsement And Rallies Supporters

Andrew Yang Says He Has Left Democratic Party

Andrew Yang, the businessman who ran for president in the 2020 Democratic primary before dropping out and endorsing former Vice President Joe Biden, reportedly no longer identifies as a Democrat and will be starting a new political party.
Yang, 46, plans to announce the start of his new party next month, according to <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2021/09/09/andrew-yang-third-party-511033">POLITICO</a>, which spoke to two sources familiar with the matter. Business Insider, citing a source familiar with the plan, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/andrew-yang-third-party-confirmed-book-tour-2021-9">reports</a> that the party will be aimed at centrists.
It’s unclear whether Yang has already left the Democratic Party — which he identified with during his rise to prominence — or what role he sees the new party playing in politics going forward.
The move will coincide with the launch of Yang’s new book, “Forward: Notes on the Future of Our Democracy,” which will be released on October 5, less than a month before the New York City mayoral election. Yang dropped out of the New York City race after finishing poorly in the Democratic Primary, in which he trailed several candidates.
It’s not clear what kind of platform Yang’s political party will run on, or whether it will be focused on local races, national races, or something else. During the 2020 Democratic primary, however, Yang championed the idea of a Universal Basic Income of $1,000 a month for every American adult — a policy he dubbed the Freedom Dividend — to prepare against automation.
“By 2015, automation had already destroyed four million manufacturing jobs, and the smartest people in the world now predict that a third of all working Americans will lose their job to automation in the next 12 years,&#8221; said Yang&#8217;s campaign website. &#8220;Our current policies are not equipped to handle this crisis. Even our most forward-thinking politicians are unprepared.”
Yang dropped out of the primary after a disappointing showing in New Hampshire. The following month, he <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/10/politics/andrew-yang-endorses-joe-biden/index.html">endorsed</a> Biden for president, calling him “the right man for the job to help us not just defeat Donald Trump, but govern the country in the years ahead,&#8221; as CNN reported at the time.
&#8220;I believe that Joe Biden will be the Democratic nominee and I&#8217;ve always said I&#8217;m going to support whoever the nominee is,&#8221; explained Yang after Biden had won Democratic primaries in several state contests. &#8220;So I hereby am endorsing Joe Biden to be not just the nominee for the Democratic Party but the next President of the United States.”
Following his endorsement, Yang implied during an interview with <a href="https://time.com/5860064/andrew-yang-time100-talks/">TIME Magazine</a> that he had engaged in discussions with the Biden team about serving in a potential administration.
“We’ve had general conversations about the fact that Joe would like me to play a role and be helpful, yes,” he said. “I’m driven to help Joe win. And I think that we’re going to need all hands on deck to help clean up the historic crises that [we’re] in the midst of.”
Yang ultimately did not end up serving in the Biden administration, and subsequently launched an unsuccessful bid in the New York City mayoral race’s Democratic primary.

Mayoral candidate Andrew Yang arrives for debate at NBC

Report: Andrew Yang, Democrat Who Endorsed Joe Biden, To Start New Political Party

CNN’s John Berman quizzed New York City mayoral candidate Eric Adams on Monday about his claim that two of his rivals, including Andrew Yang, formed an alliance against him to prevent a person of color from being elected mayor.
“For them to come together like they are doing in the last three days, they’re saying we can’t trust a person of color to be the mayor of the City of New York when this city is overwhelmingly people of color,” <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/19/nyregion/yang-garcia-endorsement.html">said</a> Adams, who is black.
Yang responded to the allegation at a press conference, saying, “I would tell Eric Adams that I’ve been Asian my entire life.”
Voters are set to head to the polls on Tuesday to vote in the ranked-choice Democratic mayoral primary.
“Listen, two of your main opponents, Kathryn Garcia and Andrew Yang, campaigned together over the weekend. That seemed to bother you. Why?” Berman asked Adams during a Monday appearance on CNN’s New Day.
“Well because it just sent the wrong message,” Adams responded. “It was on June 19, Juneteenth, a federal holiday that was just signed into law. They sent a signal as you have all of the African American and Hispanic candidates in the race. What message were you sending during this time that we’re talking about how do you empower various ethnic groups in politics?&#8221;
“You tell me. What message do you think they were sending by campaigning together?” Berman asked.
“Well, Kathryn Garcia, number one, she stated that she was not endorsing Andrew Yang. Andrew Yang stated that he was endorsing her. And his attitude was just basically, &#8216;We want to make sure that we’re keeping Adams and others out of the place of mayor.&#8217; It just sends the wrong message to those in our city,” Adams said.
&#8220;Are you suggesting it&#8217;s racial?&#8221; Berman pressed, at which Adams appeared to backtrack on his original accusation.
“No, I’m suggesting that those who are running in office in New York, those who are looking at the candidates in the field, they felt as though it sent the wrong message on Juneteenth — to make that announcement on Juneteenth, with all of the diversity that was in the field of African Americans and Latin-speaking candidates,” Adams said.
Berman also questioned Adams on a suggestion made by some of his supporters that Yang and Garcia working together works to &#8220;suppress the vote.&#8221;
&#8220;I&#8217;m not sure I understand how that works,&#8221; Berman said.
Adams answered that he &#8220;can&#8217;t speak on behalf of my supporters,&#8221; but &#8220;African Americans are very clear on voter suppression.&#8221;
“They feel based on their perception, that it suppressed the vote, then I respect their feelings. It’s not up to me to interpret their feelings,” Adams said.
WATCH:
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NYC mayoral candidates Kathryn Garcia and Andrew Yang campaigning together on Juneteenth &quot;sent the wrong signal &#8230; and that is how many of the African American, Hispanic candidates felt after they saw it,&quot; mayoral candidate Eric Adams says.<a href="https://t.co/CT3kogacAt">https://t.co/CT3kogacAt</a> <a href="https://t.co/Wsr3NLuKsR">pic.twitter.com/Wsr3NLuKsR</a>
&mdash; CNN This Morning with Kasie Hunt (@CNNThisMorning) <a href="https://twitter.com/CNNThisMorning/status/1406936977153400836?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 21, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Adams, the Brooklyn borough president and a former NYPD captain, held a substantial lead in the mayoral race Monday morning.
Yang, who ran for president in the 2020 Democratic primary, had previously led the mayoral race, but his lead eroded in May.

Eric Adams

CNN Quizzes NYC Mayoral Candidate Eric Adams On His Claim That Rivals Teamed Up Against Him Because He’s Black

New York City

Race

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) on Saturday endorsed her pick for New York City mayor, a hit to the campaign of Democratic frontrunner Andrew Yang, who has been cheered by some Republicans.
Ocasio-Cortez, whose district encompasses parts of Queens and the Bronx, endorsed Maya Wiley, a civil rights attorney and former MSNBC legal analyst who has received support from several other progressive leaders.
&#8220;We cannot afford a future where New York becomes a playground for the wealthy,&#8221; Ocasio-Cortez <a href="https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/politics/rep-alexandria-ocasio-cortez-endorses-maya-wiley-for-mayor/3092081/">said</a> during her endorsement speech at a rally outside City Hall on Saturday. &#8220;That’s why I think it’s so important that we as a movement come together to make sure we send a progressive candidate to Gracie Mansion this month.&#8221;
&#8220;I&#8217;m putting Maya no. 1,&#8221; the congresswoman added. &#8220;Maya Wiley is the one. She will be a progressive in Gracie Mansion.&#8221;
“If we don’t come together as a movement, we will get a New York City built by and for billionaires, and we need a city by and for working people,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
Wiley also worked in Mayor Bill de Blasio&#8217;s administration as his general counsel. Yang has had stern words for de Blasio over the course of his mayoral campaign, saying that he believes &#8220;many New Yorkers want to turn the page from the de Blasio administration.”
Polls close on June 22 for the ranked-choice Democratic primary for New York City mayor, but early voting begins on June 12.
Yang, who ran for president in 2020, is considered a frontrunner, along with Eric Adams, the Brooklyn borough president, and Kathryn Garcia, the former sanitation commissioner. Garcia and Wiley would be the city&#8217;s first female mayors if elected.
Wiley received support from other prominent Democrats, including former presidential candidate Julián Castro, who tweeted Saturday that she &#8220;has the experience and vision to tackle New York&#8217;s biggest challenges successfully.&#8221;
The Working Families Party also endorsed Wiley the previous day.
Yang&#8217;s campaign has received support from GOP donor and hedgefund billionaire Jeff Yass, who supported Republican Sens. Josh Hawley (R-MO) and Ted Cruz (R-TX). Yass donated $500,000 to a PAC supporting Andrew Yang.
Cruz, along with Stephen Miller, former senior policy advisor to President Trump, praised Yang for speaking out in support of Israel when conflict broke out between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
&#8220;I&#8217;m standing with the people of Israel who are coming under bombardment attacks, and condemn the Hamas terrorists. The people of NYC will always stand with our brothers and sisters in Israel who face down terrorism and persevere,&#8221; Yang tweeted.
&#8220;Bravo to Yang for opposing the rabidly pro-Hamas &amp; anti-Israel attacks from fellow Dems Omar &amp; Tlaib,&#8221; Sen. Ted Cruz wrote in a tweet, referring to progressive Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI).
Yang later attempted to assuage the feelings of those who were offended by his original tweet in support of Israel, <a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewYang/status/1392450726010531844">saying</a> that some of his campaign volunteers were correct in their view that &#8220;my tweet was overly simplistic in my treatment of a conflict that has a long and complex history full of tragedies. And they felt it failed to acknowledge the pain and suffering on both sides.&#8221;
However, he added, “Support of a people does not make one blind to the pain and suffering of others.”

AOC Endorses New York Mayoral Candidate In Apparent Bid To Pull Progressives Away From Andrew Yang

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

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