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Watch Christine Quinn Storm Out Of Press Conference After Someone Calls Bloomberg "Pharoah"
By
Christopher Robbins
Published Apr 30, 2012
Modified Apr 30, 2012
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By
Christopher Robbins
Published Apr 30, 2012
Modified Apr 30, 2012
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Christine Quinn did the political equivalent of "dropping the mic" today as she left a living wage press conference in a huff after someone from the crowd shouted something about "Pharoah Bloomberg." Quinn turned to the heckler and said, "That's not appropriate…In democracy, people have the right to have different views and they do not, we do not, have the right to then call them names." She then said, “Congratulations on the bill, I’m not going to participate in any name-calling," and walked away.
The press conference was for the city council's impending vote to override Mayor Bloomberg's veto of the living wage bill last week. Asked by Capital New York why he shouted, the heckler, volunteer and living-wage supporter Carlos Pacheco, said, "Why? Because, they were political leaders in Egypt and they had the little people build their pyramids and today we can relate to that." As for why Quinn was peeved enough to leave after the comment: "Well, I think she left because she was never really a part of the cause ... She was playing her politics."
Shortly after the incident Quinn told the Times' Kate Taylor that she didn't regret leaving.
Quinn says doesn't regret storming out, didn't overreact. "I’ve overreacted in my time&I know what that’s like," she says, attempting humor.
— Kate Taylor (@katetaylornyt) April 30, 2012
Last week, Bloomberg said that despite their differences on the subject, he and Quinn would have a "good time" at Quinn's wedding in two weeks. Nothing an iced beer and the Electric Slide can't fix.
Tagged
christine quinn
City Council
living wage
mayor bloomberg
pharoah bloomberg
Christopher Robbins
Christopher Robbins is a New York City reporter covering transportation, affordable housing, local politics, and criminal justice. His work has also appeared in New York Magazine, The Village Voice and The New York Times. Chris is a graduate of Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke, Virginia, and enjoys biking to Fort Tilden in the summertime.
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