'Don't hand someone a groundhog': Former NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio discusses the infamous 2014 groundhog incident

Former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio discussed the infamous 2014 groundhog incident during an interview with Benjamin Hart of New York Magazine's Intelligencer.

Back in 2014, de Blasio lost control of a groundhog, and video shows the creature appearing to squirm out of his grasp before falling to the ground.

Not long thereafter, the groundhog died.

"As a result of the groundhog unexpectedly climbing out of the Mayor's grasp, the animal was given a complete medical examination by the Staten Island Zoo veterinarian immediately following the incident on February 2, 2014. The examination showed no evidence of trauma or pain, with the animal displaying normal behavior," the Staten Island Zoo reportedly said in a statement at the time.

"During the following week after Groundhog Day the animal participated in several events, showing no clinical abnormalities and a normal appetite during this time. One week after Groundhog Day on February 9, the animal was found deceased in its exhibit from internal injuries that the animal most likely sustained sometime during the week after Groundhog Day, potentially overnight while in its exhibit," the statement reportedly said. "A necropsy was performed by the Staten Island Zoo veterinarian, which revealed acute internal injuries."

"The exact cause of the injuries could not be determined. Given the results of the necropsy, the incident appears to have been sudden. It appears unlikely that the animal's death is related to the events on Groundhog Day," the statement reportedly declared.

Hart asked the former mayor whether he regretted dropping the animal.

"Yeah. 100%. I'm like, 'Don't make me hold a f****** groundhog.' I mean, what the hell?" de Blasio said, according to the outlet.

"I go there and it’s seven in the morning, which means my motor skills are not at their best. I put on these gloves, and they're like, 'Here's a groundhog,' I'm like, 'What the f***?' I'm like, 'Don't you have a little more coaching to go with this or whatever?' It was idiocy. Why would you want an elected official to hold a groundhog? I don't know anything about holding groundhogs. So the whole thing is just insane. There's an original sin here. Don't hand someone a groundhog, right?" he said.

"Only trained groundhog holders. And do you squeeze it really tight? I mean, what do you do? So I'm like, talk about a lack of advance work," he added, according to the outlet.

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