STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Former Mayor Bill de Blasio’s infamous drop of Staten Island’s beloved groundhog happened 10 years ago Friday, and he’s had sometime to reflect.
Kadia Goba, a reporter for Semafor, posted a text exchange with the former mayor to X, formerly known as Twitter, in which Goba asked de Blasio what people get wrong about the 2014 Staten Island Zoo Groundhog Day exchange that preceded the rodent’s death a few days later.
“Any event at 7 in the morning featuring an agitated live animal doesn’t end well,” de Blasio told the reporter.
While the shadow-searching animal is typically called Staten Island Chuck, de Blasio’s groundhog drop was of a female called Charlotte.
The live crowd initially laughed the mishap, but when Charlotte died a few days later, all eyes turned to de Blasio. The West Brighton-based zoo released a statement saying that it “appeared unlikely” that the groundhog’s death was related to the events on Groundhog Day. Still, many remained skeptical and blamed the mayor for Charlotte’s untimely demise.
Following the incident, the Staten Island Zoo implemented new protocols for its annual celebration. The groundhog, whether Chuck or Charlotte, is only picked up by a professional handler with guests cut out of the ceremony, and remains inside of a clear plastic enclosure throughout the event.
Mayor Eric Adams has yet to make an appearance at a Staten Island Groundhog Day event, perhaps scared of the backlash his predecessor faced.
Last year, New York Magazine published an interview titled “Bill de Blasio on All His Mistakes (Including the Groundhog)” that offered the the mayor a prior opportunity for reflection.
Towards the end of the interview, things shifted to a “lighter note” and the interviewer asked if de Blasio has regrets about dropping the star rodent during Groundhog Day event at the Staten Island Zoo.
“I go there and it’s seven in the morning, which means my motor skills are not at their best. I…
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