Overview

• The New York Times last week published leaked details of Zohran Mamdani’s 2009 Columbia University application drawn from hacked admissions records.
• The source was later identified as eugenicist Jordan Lasker, triggering questions about hidden motives and the paper’s vetting procedures.
• Critics say publishing personal college records served primarily as a political attack and fell short of newsworthiness standards.
• Assistant managing editor Patrick Healy issued a detailed defense stating that Columbia admissions data and Mamdani’s own confirmation underpinned the story.
• Mayor Eric Adams and former Governor Andrew Cuomo have formally requested investigations into Mamdani’s race claim, with probes pending.