Associated Press fact-checker Melissa Goldin came running to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s defense on Tuesday after conservative media personalities and Republican politicians accused him of hypocrisy for requiring a “library-card-esuqe” ID to shop at his government-run grocery stores, but opposing it when it comes to voting. However, Goldin’s insistence that such claims are "misinformation" was not convincing.
Goldin lamented, “Misinformation began spreading in response to a comment made at a press conference last week by Jeanny Pak, the interim president and CEO of New York City’s Economic Development Corporation. Asked how the city will stop people from taking advantage of lower prices at the stores, [Jeanny] Pak mentioned the possibility of a ‘library-card-esque’ system.”
She then added, “But city officials say there will be no ID requirement for shoppers.”
Mamdani's expert solution for abuse of the new NYC Grocery plan is a "library card" system.
Why do we need ID to choose cereal but not the president? pic.twitter.com/Jg0T2TeTPv— Media Research Center (@theMRC) August 3, 2026
Guess what you need if you want to get a library card in New York City? Yup, an ID.
Nevertheless, Goldin later wrote of the allegation that ID will be required, “This is false. No one will be asked to show ID to shop at stores owned by the city, according to officials. A customer card, akin to a loyalty savings card at a traditional supermarket, is being discussed as a way to manage supply and stop people from reselling large amounts of discounted items, but the program would be voluntary and would not require ID to access.”
Goldin also claimed Mamdani spokespeople have debunked the idea, ‘Insane that this even needs to be said, but to be absolutely clear: NYC Grocery stores will be open to everyone,’ [Joe] Calvello wrote. ‘There will be no system to verify identity, residency or income, and no one will be asked to show ID to shop. This is the dumbest and fakest online news cycle I have seen.’”
She further elaborated, “The system Pak referred to as ‘library-card-esque’ at last week’s press conference is a customer card that would help stores manage supply and keep aspiring resellers from buying discounted items in bulk, according to Cassio Mendoza, another Mamdani spokesperson. He explained that obtaining such a card would not require ID, residency, or income verification and would be available to anyone who wants one.”
The utter insanity of opening government-run grocery stores, selling goods at 30 percent below market rates, and letting anyone shop there aside, it is not conservatives’ fault that Pak couldn’t accurately articulate the city’s plan. To that end, Pak also said “we manage who's buying and that it’s focused on everyday New Yorkers.” “Misinformation” is saying the world is flat. Criticizing what government officials say in plain English is just politics.
