The politically influential Transport Employees Union is threatening to sue Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa over “defamatory and false” feedback he not too long ago made concerning the labor group.
In a letter despatched to Sliwa on Monday, John Samuelsen, the TWU’s worldwide president, wrote that the mayoral hopeful engaged within the remarks throughout a July 24 rally at Metropolis Corridor organized by NYCLASS, a gaggle advocating for a ban on horse-carriage rides in Central Park.
Samuelsen, whose union represents horse carriage drivers, wrote he got here throughout Sliwa’s speech in a video of the gathering posted on YouTube.
“By this letter, I demand that you issue a written retraction of the statement and offer an apology to the members of the TWU whose leadership you have slandered and defamed,” the union large continued. “If you choose not to act honorably by retracting the false statement, we will commence legal action against you for your actions forthwith. We will seek damages commensurate with the harm done to my reputation and to the reputation of the TWU.”
Sliwa, the Guardian Angels founder who has made animal welfare a giant part of his mayoral marketing campaign, rejected Samuelsen’s demand, saying his remarks amounted to “First Amendment protected speech.”
“I offered my opinion on an area of concern for New Yorkers regarding the horse carriage industry and the TWU,” he mentioned. “My statement was generic and not individual specific. I believe Mr. Samuelsen and the TWU have other things to focus on.”
A horse is seen pulling acarriage, vacationers, and the motive force within the scorching warmth inside Central Park. (Luiz C. Ribeiro for New York Every day Information)
Along with horse carriage drivers, Samuelsen’s union represents tens of hundreds of MTA staff. His union hasn’t endorsed anybody within the 2025 mayoral race, however Samuelsen did seem at a June 14 rally for Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic mayoral nominee, the place he praised Mamdani’s proposal to make public buses free within the metropolis.
The horse carriage business has lengthy been a supply of controversy in New York, with animal rights activists condemning the observe as inhumane, whereas TWU and different supporters of staff say banning it could destroy livelihoods. The union has additionally maintained reforms will be taken to make sure the security of the horses.
Final week’s Metropolis Corridor rally was held to name on the Metropolis Council to undertake a invoice that might ban the native horse carriage business. The rally got here days after a Manhattan jury acquitted a horse carriage driver who was indicted in 2023 on animal abuse costs for allegedly forcing his horse, Ryder, to work in scorching summer time temperatures.
Because the Republican candidate, Sliwa faces lengthy odds in November’s mayoral election, given the town’s closely Democratic citizens.
Sliwa, who additionally ran for mayor in 2021, has been particularly upbeat about his prospects this 12 months, although, as the sphere is extra crowded than in a typical native election 12 months. Along with Mamdani on the Democratic line and Sliwa on the GOP line, Mayor Adams, Andrew Cuomo and Jim Walden are working as independents in November’s contest, making a vote-splitting situation Sliwa hopes may profit him.
Initially Revealed: July 28, 2025 at 8:36 AM EDT
