Twitter-savvy Newark mayor defends N.Y.’s Bloomberg over snow removal

Newark, N.J., Mayor Cory Booker defended New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg Wednesday against criticism he’s faced over the Big Apple’s snow removal efforts. 

Booker (D), who has earned accolades for his active response to the snow, tweeted in defense of his counterpart across the Hudson River:

People far 2 rough on @mikebloomberg  – still fighting 2 clear snow in NWK & we are 1/29th size of NYC

Bloomberg has said the city is doing everything it can to remove nearly two feet of snow that fell earlier in the week, clogging thousands of miles of roadways, sidewalks and rail lines.

But that has not stopped city residents from complaining about uncleared snow and blaming it on the media-mogul-turned-mayor.

Bloomberg held a press conference Wednesday where he apologized for the pace of progress.

“We did not do as a good a job as we wanted to do or as the city has a right to expect,” he said.

Booker, by contrast, has been applauded for his efforts in New Jersey’s largest city, where he used Twitter to coordinate snow removal efforts — including digging out some vehicles himself.

According to the New
York Daily News, Bloomberg also had kind words for Booker about the Newark mayor’s efforts, but conceded he wasn’t out removing snow himself.

“I have not been out with a snow shovel but I have been answering emails,” said Bloomberg.