The New York City Council is evaluating a proposed bill designed to better regulate the use of official press passes. This bill aims to prevent people from misusing these credentials for non-journalistic purposes. The initiative, introduced by Councilmember Chris Banks, was announced by City Council Speaker Julie Menin during an appearance on FOX 5 New York’s “Good Day New York.” Menin highlighted the issue of individuals obtaining press credentials despite not being journalists.
This concern came to the fore earlier this year when several supporters of Luigi Mangione, an individual involved in a high-profile murder case, were seen displaying their city-issued press passes outside a courthouse. The situation called attention to the misuse of press credentials.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani expressed that the individuals in question should not have received press passes. In response, the City Council is working on simplifying the process to revoke such credentials from those deemed unworthy.
“We want them to reform their practices so it’s really journalists, legitimate journalists, who should be getting the press credentials,” emphasized Menin, who previously held the position of commissioner for the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME).
The legislation, backed by council members Carmen De La Rosa and Inna Vernikov, would empower the MOME to suspend or revoke press passes based on a “preponderance of the evidence.” This approach lowers the current standard, which requires “clear and convincing evidence” for revocation.
The bill’s introduction follows the controversial credentials of Mangione supporters, including Ashley Rojas and Abril Rios, who gained attention for their statements and actions outside the courthouse. These incidents have spurred calls for change to ensure that press credentials are only given to accredited journalists engaged in legitimate reporting activities.
Luigi Mangione, who faced federal charges, had previously pleaded guilty. His legal team is now working to dismiss state-level charges on the grounds of double jeopardy. Mangione’s criminal actions, captured on surveillance footage, included the fatal shooting of Brian Thompson in December 2024.