Bill de Blasio's press secretary branded Andrew Cuomo a 'serial sexual assaulter' after the governor mocked the mayor's announcement that New York City will 'fully reopen' on July 1.
De Blasio outlined his reopening plan to have the Big Apple operating at full capacity beginning July 1 at a news conference on Thursday and confidently proclaimed: 'This is going to be the summer of New York City.'
Asked about the announcement at his own new conference later in the day, Cuomo his disapproval clear by put on a whiny voice to mock de Blasio as 'irresponsible'.
'I want it opened up on Monday. I want to open up New York City on Tuesday. I want it open on Wednesday. I want Buffalo opened up on Thursday,' Cuomo said.
De Blasio's press secretary Bill Neidhardt hit back swiftly when approached about Cuomo's comments, telling the New York Post: 'Serial sexual assaulter says what?'
The rebuke was in reference to a string of sexual assault allegations levied against Cuomo in recent months, which de Blasio has repeatedly said should force the governor's removal from office.
Governor Andrew Cuomo mocked Bill de Blasio on Thursday after the mayor announced his plan to have New York City fully reopened by July 1
Neidhardt also told an NY1 reporter: 'I don't care what a serial sexual harasser and assaulter and someone who covered up the deaths of thousands of people at nursing homes has to say about anything.'
Cuomo said New York City's true reopening date will be decided by the state, which his said is managing the situation 'by the science, by the data'.
The governor said he is 'reluctant' to give a target date, adding: 'I don't want to wait that long … I think we can do it before that.'
'There is no person who will safely reopen faster than myself,' Cuomo said. 'I'm not going to predict the future. But if you said to me: "July 1," I'd say: "I hope to get there before July 1."'
Thursday's face-off marked the latest in a long-running feud between Cuomo and de Blasio, who have sparred for months over who has the final say in reopening New York City.
Thursday's face-off marked the latest in a long-running feud between Cuomo and de Blasio (pictured together in 2018)
Their feud escalated this spring after de Blasio joined calls for Cuomo to resign over allegations of sexual harassment and claims his administration covered up COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes.
Cuomo brushed off de Blasio's attacks at Thursday's press conference, saying: 'First, the mayor of New York, I don't know what he's indicative of.
'Ask the people of New York what they think about the mayor of New York City and I'll second their opinion.'
Contrary to Cuomo's assertions, de Blasio said his July 1 goal is easily achievable thanks to high vaccination rates and New Yorkers following guidelines.
'The data and the science are saying out loud, it's time to come back,' de Blasio said at his press conference. 'Now we can see that light at the end of the tunnel.
'It's time to set a goal for a full reopening of New York City. We are ready to bring New York City back fully all systems go because you've earned it were going to keep working hard everyday to make this city safer and safer.'
Earlier during an appearance on MSNBC's Morning Joe de Blasio said: 'What we're seeing is that people have gotten vaccinated at extraordinary numbers.'
More than 6.3 million vaccinations have been administered in New York City to date and roughly 36 percent of the city's adult population is fully vaccinated.
De Blasio's announcement comes one day after New York lawmakers lifted Governor Andrew Cuomo's pandemic-era rule that customers must order food when buying alcohol in bars
On Wednesday Cuomo announced the state would lift COVID-19-related restrictions impacting the state's bars and restaurants
De Blasio said 100 percent reopening means fully reopening restaurants and bars, stores, shops and small businesses - including hair salons, gyms, stadiums, theaters, and museums.
'We're all going to get to enjoy the city again and people are going to flock here from all over the country,' he said.
The mayor told New Yorkers that in order to accomplish the July 1 goal more and more people must continue to get vaccinated.
'We all got a little work to do, but we can get there together' he said at the briefing.
De Blasio said he has not spoken to Cuomo but he will work with federal and state officials to meet the July 1 goal.
'The best way to proceed here is to set out the city's vision,' he said on Thursday. 'We're going to work with the federal government, were going to work with the state government but its quite clear its time to set a goal and move on that goal.'
According to Mayor Bill de Blasio, arenas and stadiums are set to reopen at full capacity by July 1 as more New Yorkers continue to get vaccinated
New York City tourist attractions, including Times Square, (pictured) might see more visitors this summer as the city reopens. 'We're all going to get to enjoy the city again and people are going to flock here from all over the country,' de Blasio said
'We are ready to bring New York City (pictured) back fully all systems go because you've earned it were going to keep working hard everyday to make this city safer and safer' de Blasio told New Yorkers during a briefing on Thursday
New York City will fully reopen this summer just in time for the famous Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest (pictured) held on Independence Day in Coney Island, Brooklyn
On Wednesday, New York lawmakers lifted Cuomo's pandemic-era rule that customers must order food when buying alcohol in bars as the governor announced plans to roll back other restrictions.
The current midnight closing time for outdoor dining areas of bars and restaurants will now expire on May 17, followed by the indoor curfew on May 31, he announced.
Customers will also be able to sit at bars in New York City from May 3.
City and state government have started to announce plans to reopen as positive cases, hospitalizations and deaths have all been declining as more New Yorkers continue to get vaccinated and warm weather draws people outdoors, the New York Times reported.
The reopening plan comes one day after a new report from State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli revealed, unsurprisingly, that the pandemic has severely impacted New York City's tourism industry.
The report found the the industry lost 89,000 jobs and about $60 billion during the pandemic.
DiNapoli said city officials need to focus on attracting tourists after the city saw 43.7 million fewer visitors in 2020 due to COVID.
'Visitors and their spending are essential for the tourism industry, and they have to come back before the sector fully recovers,' he said.
The report projects that tourism in New York City wont return to pre-pandemic levels until 2025.
Last week, de Blasio announced a $30million marketing campaign to promote tourism to the city.
6.3 million vaccinations have been administered in New York City to date and roughly 36% of the city's adult population is fully vaccinated
The latest citywide COVID data reported by NYC Health show a decline in both daily hospitalizations and positive cases (pictured)
The latest citywide COVID data reported by NYC Health show a decline in COVID deaths in New York City, with a seven day average of 32 deaths as of April 25
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on Tuesday that fully vaccinated Americans can go maskless outside, except when attending crowded events like a concert, parade or baseball game.
The CDC said that outdoor transmission of coronavirus is exceedingly rare, accounting for less than 10 percent of cases.
Those risks are mainly linked to crowded events that can turn into super-spreader events, or people who were in close range of one another, the CDC said.
New York State has adopted the CDC mask guidance but masks will still be required to be worn indoors and by people who are not fully vaccinated.
This would be the first time New York City would be fully reopened since it first shutdown in March 2020 after it became the epicenter of the Coronavirus pandemic.
From March to June 2020 there were approximately 203,000 confirmed COVID cases reported in New York City, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report.
New York City has recorded at total of 923,953 total cases with 32,461 total deaths.
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