Dr. Jay Varma, then-Mayor de Blasio's senior public health adviser, conceded he "participated in two private gatherings" and failed to use the best judgment.
His statement came after a conservative podcaster, Steven Crowder, posted hidden camera video of Varma talking to a woman, who is off camera, talking about the parties.
Varma did not challenge the authenticity of statements he is overheard saying on the footage but said it had been "secretly recorded, spliced, diced, and taken out of context."
Dr. Jay Varma released the following statement:
"Unfortunately, I was targeted by an operative for an extremist right-wing organization determined to malign public health officials and take down the public health system in America. This individual has been highly discredited and he has been banned from numerous media outlets for his homophobic slurs and racist rants.
"In those private conversations that were secretly recorded, spliced, diced, and taken out of context, I referred to events that transpired four years ago. I served in City Hall between April 2020 - May 2021. During that time, I participated in two private gatherings. I take responsibility for not using the best judgment at the time.
"Facing the greatest public health crisis in a century, our top priority was to save lives, and every decision made was based on the best available science to keep New Yorkers safe. I stand by my efforts to get New Yorkers vaccinated against COVID-19, and I reject dangerous extremist efforts to undermine the public's confidence in the need for and effectiveness of vaccines."
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