Gothamist

A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.

Gothamist

WNYC Listen Live

Donate

News

Christine Quinn Trying To Stop Anti-Quinn Ads From Running

Jen Chung

Published Apr 9, 2013

Modified Apr 9, 2013

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail

Never miss a story

Email address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .

Jen Chung

Published Apr 9, 2013

Modified Apr 9, 2013

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail

We rely on your support to make local news available to all

Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

You know who doesn't like that anti-Christine Quinn ad that says she has a terrible record on progressive issues? City Council Speaker Quinn! And her campaign is trying to get Time Warner Cable to stop running the ad.

Currently, the ad is running on NY1. It features a voiceover saying things like "Virtually all of Christine Quinn’s decisions were made in rooms just like this, with her friends in the 1%" and "All that’s clear when the smoke lifts is her political ambition." Her campaign lawyer wrote in a cease-and-desist, "Your station need not air the subject ad. If you choose to do so, however your station bears responsibility for its content." From the NY Post:

Quinn’s campaign attorney, Jerry Goldfeder, disputes the ad’s characterization of Quinn as on the “wrong side” of a bill forcing companies taking city subsidies to pay a so-called living wage of $11.50 an hour.

“Although opponents of a candidate often resort to fanciful broadsides (as with the cigar smoke permeating this ad), facts must not be fabricated or distorted,” Goldfeder wrote to Time Warner [which owns NY1]. “In truth and in fact, Speaker Quinn led the City Council in passing a living-wage bill.” Quinn ended up passing the living-wage bill last year after substantially weakening it.

Quinn said, "You're simply not allowed to put ads on television or anywhere else that distort the truth and make factually incorrect claims," but Chelsea Connor, representing the group that made the opposition ad, counters, "The filing of a cease and desist against Time Warner Cable today is a desperate attempt from the Quinn campaign to stop a campaign that is based on the facts ... and was approved by the legal department at Time Warner." However, Time Warner's legal department didn't actually approve the ad. Here was Time Warner's response to Goldfeder:

Mr. Goldfeder,
We have received your letter concerning the “NYC is Not for Sale” ad involving your client, Ms. Quinn. We are taking immediate action to address your concerns in accordance with Time Warner Cable Media policy in these matters. We have asked the NYC is Not for Sale group to provide, without delay, substantiation supporting the claims contained in the spot as they have the right and opportunity to defend your client’s challenge and request to take their spot off the air.
The NYC is Not for Sale spot will continue to air as ordered unless we arrive at a decision to act otherwise.
We will contact you immediately once a decision is rendered.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions.

RA
Rich Ambrose
Time Warner Cable Media

Here's the ad:

Quinn's rivals criticized her attempt to stop the ads, with Bill Thompson telling DNAinfo, "I think it's bit much and it's very over-the-top. I think it is an attempt to intimidate the press, attempt to intimidate the stations, and I think it's wrong." And Bill de Blasio—who denied his involvement in the opposition group—said, "People are expressing their anger, and that is part of the public discourse. I think the notion of any candidate suggesting that something shouldn't be aired publicly is problematic."

Tagged

bill de blasio

christine quinn

Election 2013

mayoral election

nyc is not for sale

Jen Chung

Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

MORE news

NYC wants to move deliveries onto the waterways. It's starting with a 55-year-old boat.

The city's "blue highways" program aims to get freight out of trucks and onto the waterways.

Liam Quigley

Published Oct 12, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. ET

Inside the luxury Greenpoint high-rise powered by a rumbling generator for over a month

The fallout from an electrical fire, among other safety and maintenance concerns, has sparked anger inside the 40-story tower known as The Greenpoint.

David Brand

News

Inside the luxury Greenpoint high-rise powered by a rumbling generator for over a month

The fallout from an electrical fire, among other safety and maintenance concerns, has sparked anger inside the 40-story tower known as The Greenpoint.

David Brand

Mayor Mamdani orders review of NYPD use of force policies

Michael Sol Warren

Company that won $23M NYPD building contract was investigated by LI watchdog

Ben Feuerherd

Plainclothes ICE agent with long gun looked like mass shooter, Mayor Mamdani says

Michael Sol Warren

Never miss a story

Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.

Sign upEmail address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .