The de facto dean of the City Hall press corps, Sally Goldenberg, is leaving the city beat she has covered since 2007 to follow Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ coming presidential campaign for Politico. Goldenberg was sent off Wednesday night with a bash that included two mayors, dozens of journalists and even more sources. New York City Mayor Eric Adams showed up for a few minutes to the Tavern on Reade in Tribeca to see off one of his toughest chroniclers who knows his administration best. During the mayoral campaign, Goldenberg famously broke the story on Adams’ continued residency in Brooklyn Borough Hall and visits to Fort Lee, New Jersey. Adams left the bar well before 6 p.m., likely heading to other events with people he liked more. Former Mayor Bill de Blasio showed up late and stayed for a couple hours, mostly talking to former aides – at least five of his former press secretaries were in attendance, including Goldenberg’s husband Phil Walzak, now a political consultant. Goldenberg, now the City Hall bureau chief for Politico New York, will be competing with the Times’ Maggie Haberman covering DeSantis, who also worked out of City Hall’s Room 9 before going national.
Goldenberg’s Politico colleagues Julia Marsh and Joe Anuta gave brief remarks sending her off, as did Tusk Strategies’ Chris Coffey. Others in attendance included City Comptroller Brad Lander; City Council Members Keith Powers and Joe Borelli; Chief Adviser to the Mayor Ingrid Lewis-Martin, who bought herself and Goldenberg glasses of champagne; Deputy Chief of Staff to the mayor Menashe Shapiro; City Planning Commissioner Dan Garodnick; Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanaugh and Sanitation Commissioner Jessica Tisch.
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