Dr. Jay Varma, who played a key role in New York City’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, has faced accusations of attending private gatherings, including a sex party and a dance event, while continuing to urge residents to remain at home during the health crisis. Varma, who served as senior public health adviser to former Mayor Bill de Blasio, acknowledged his participation in two private gatherings but stated that he failed to exercise the best judgment at the time.
The controversy erupted after conservative podcaster Steven Crowder shared hidden camera footage of Varma conversing with a woman about the parties. While Varma did not dispute the authenticity of his comments in the video, he claimed they had been “secretly recorded, spliced, diced, and taken out of context.”
In his statement, Varma expressed that he was targeted by an extremist right-wing operative aiming to discredit public health officials. He referred to the secret recordings as misleading and clarified that the events discussed happened four years prior. Varma emphasized his commitment to New Yorkers during the pandemic, asserting that every decision made was driven by the science available at that time to protect public health. He also reaffirmed his dedication to increasing vaccination rates against COVID-19 and rejected efforts that undermine public confidence in vaccines.