Mayor Adams’ office confirmed Tuesday that he about a decade ago dated Jasmine Ray, a woman he would later appoint to the newly-created role of “sports czar” at City Hall and who is poised to release a book about the “hidden relationship” she alleges to have had with the mayor.
In light of the new info about their romantic relationship, Ray’s appointment by Adams to the newly-formed City Hall position in late 2022 is drawing condemnation from a government watchdog.
The confirmation from Adams’ team comes after Ray — whose formal title has been director of sports, wellness and recreation — announced on social media late Monday she’s self-publishing the book this week. A city official confirmed Ray resigned from her post on Friday — just two days before the mayor announced he’s abandoning his reelection bid.
“From the shadows of City Hall to the silence of closed-door meetings, Jasmine Ray reveals her untold role in the life of New York City’s mayor, Eric Adams,” reads a description of her book, “Political Humanity,” posted on her website.
“Their hidden relationship — marked by intimacy, sacrifice, and betrayal — mirrors the larger struggles of politics itself: the tension between personal humanity and public expectation.”
On Tuesday afternoon, Kayla Mamelak, Adams’ spokeswoman, said the mayor and Ray had a dating relationship roughly a decade ago and that they haven’t had any romantic engagements since they both started working at City Hall.
Adams, 65, is not married, but has for decades considered Tracey Collins, a former senior Department of Education official, his domestic partner. Mamelak said Collins was aware of Adams’ relationship with Ray, 41.
Ray’s publicist declined to respond to Mamelak’s comments. Ray’s book is supposed to come out Saturday.
In her role, Ray has been pulling a $161,400 base salary since being appointed by Adams in November 2022.
In a statement announcing her hire, Adams said Ray “will bring not only a deep passion” to City Hall, but “also a wealth of experience to our team.”
“I’m proud to have [her] join our administration,” his statement said.
Before joining City Hall, Ray ran the United States Wallball Association, a local nonprofit.
John Kaehny, a veteran government watchdog who runs the Reinvent Albany group, called Ray’s hire “nepotistic” and argued the mayor should have at a minimum consulted the city’s Conflicts of Interest Board before appointing her.
“Elected officials are supposed to disclose familial relationships and relationships that create a potential conflict of interest so that COIB can offer advice,” he said.
Mamelak argued the mayor didn’t need to consult COIB since the matter involved a former girlfriend.
COIB declined to comment.
