I’ll explain the courtroom ruling and the evidence that survived it, describe the disturbing footage of self-styled “Manginonistas” celebrating an alleged assassination, outline how credentialing failures in New York enabled activists posing as reporters, and present reactions from city figures about fixing the press-access mess.
The New York State Supreme Court judge tossed some evidence tied to Luigi Mangione after ruling the McDonald’s search unconstitutional, but crucial items recovered later were allowed. The gun linked to the December 4, 2024 shooting and a notebook described by prosecutors as a “manifesto” remain in play at trial. Those rulings shift the legal landscape but don’t erase the brutal facts that a father of two was killed on a Manhattan sidewalk.
Videos from outside the courtroom have made the story worse, showing alleged reporters openly celebrating the death and cheering the accused. The clips, captured by a courtroom reporter for a New York outlet and posted on social platforms, reveal people who appear more like activists than impartial journalists. That brazenness is shocking when you remember the victim and his family.
The behavior on display feeds a larger, corrosive problem: a press access system in New York that hands out credibility and protection too casually. When people with political agendas use official press credentials to gain access and influence, they hide behind the First Amendment while operating as agitators. That undermines real journalism, risks public safety, and erodes trust in institutions meant to protect civic life.
Several of the women in the videos have embraced the label “Manginonistas,” a name they use to brand themselves as supportive of the accused. That kind of cultish fandom around violence is grotesque and should alarm any reasonable person. It also illustrates how fringe views get amplified when credentialed actors act as street-level propagandists.
The outrage over the videos didn’t stay on social media. Former Mayor Eric Adams publicly blamed the current administration for rolling back credential reforms his office had been developing. Adams argued those reforms were meant to tighten standards and stop activists from posing as journalists during demonstrations and high-profile events. His critique frames the credential scandal as a policy failure that has tangible consequences.
Over the past several years, we have repeatedly seen individuals carrying press credentials using them during demonstrations and events to harass police officers, intimidate members of the public, interfere with law enforcement operations, and shield activist behavior behind the label of “journalism.” That undermines the credibility of legitimate reporters and creates serious public safety concerns.
After hearing from multiple reporters with decades of experience reporting in NYC, before I left office, my administration was going through the process of rewriting the rules governing NYC press credentials to strengthen standards, protect the integrity of the press corps, and prevent political activists posing as journalists from obtaining official credentials and the access that comes with them. As your own publication reported, those proposed reforms were going through the rule-making process before being scrapped by the current administration:
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That decision was reckless. Official press credentials should not be handed out in a way that allows extremists to abuse them while hiding behind the credibility and protections afforded to legitimate journalism.
This needs to change, and it needs to change now.
City Council Republican Vickie Paladino pushed harder, calling this a rot in the press corps that goes beyond biased reporting. Her comments painted a picture of activists using press access to coordinate attacks, dox opponents, and leak police tactics to hostile networks. Those are not honest errors or isolated incidents; they are methods that can and do put lives at risk.
What we’ve known for a long time — there are huge problems in the NYC press corps. A ton of rot.
There are a few honest reporters still, but these monsters reflect a growing contingent of activists who leverage press access specifically for subversion.
Writing biased stories is the least of it.
Biased reporting is almost a quaint artifact of a simpler time at this point.
We’re talking about hardcore militants that contribute inside information about police identities, their families, and their addresses to leftist insurgent networks.
They run group chats where they dox and build dossiers on their political enemies, politicians, police, business leaders — anyone really. I know for a fact that myself and members of my family have appeared in these chats, with highly disturbing personal details about our locations and routines.
They have sources within city hall and the police department that leak the movements and deployment strategies of the NYPD — how do you think there’s always a mob waiting for the cops when they deploy for a politically sensitive operation? This is how.
They do it all under the shield of ‘journalism’, because we as a western nation respect the free press and have always taken steps to avoid interfering with the work of reporters.
So naturally it was a prime target for corruption by the left, who as usual are using our institutions of public trust against us.
We need to stop treating these people as anything less than terrorists. Because that’s exactly what they are. They WILL get people killed, and they’ll celebrate it when it happens.
Other firsthand accounts add to the concern, describing credentialed individuals openly wearing political symbols while covering polarizing protests. Those observations suggest the problem is systemic, not random. If officials want to restore credibility, credentialing rules must focus on real journalistic standards and public safety.
For now, the Mangione trial will proceed with some crucial evidence in play, and the city faces questions about how it vets the people it grants access to. The videos and the reaction from public figures have exposed a policy gap that demands answers. New York’s leadership should prioritize reforms that protect citizens and preserve the integrity of a free, responsible press.
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