Lawyer for NYC fired after grilling mayor over kid mask rule

April 5, 2022 Associated Press

Children and a teacher wear masks in class. AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File

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A lawyer for New York City was fired after she crashed a news conference Monday to confront Mayor Eric Adams about the city’s mask mandate for children aged 2 to 4.

Daniela Jampel, who had worked for the city law department since 2016, was fired later on Monday, a department spokesperson said.

Jampel was fired after she attended a City Hall press conference and demanded that Adams “unmask our toddlers.” The law department spokesperson said she had misrepresented herself as a journalist at the press conference.

The Democratic mayor announced last Friday that a mask rule for children under 5 in schools and daycare centers would remain in effect because of a rise in COVID-19 cases due to the omicron BA.2 variant of the virus.

Jampel has been a vocal advocate for keeping schools open and for ending mask mandates during the coronavirus pandemic.

The law department spokesperson said the decision to fire Jampel was made before Monday because of “troubling claims” she had made about her work for the department.

The spokesperson appeared to be referencing a tweet Jampel posted on Friday and then deleted that said that as an attorney for the city she had “represented cops who lie in court, teachers who molest children, prison guards who beat inmates.” The tweet continued, “It is a job I have done proudly. Until tonight. Fighting to keep masks on toddlers is shameful. I am ashamed of my office.”

Jampel posted and deleted another tweet after her firing Monday saying she was retaining counsel. Messages asking for comment were sent to Jampel Tuesday.