Democrats Furious Newsmax Pulled Move Straight From CNN’s Playbook
Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal is pushing Mayor Zohran Mamdani to remove Newsmax from Taxi TV screens located in the back of New York’s yellow cabs, according to the New York Post.
In a Jan. 21 letter to Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) Chairman Midori Valdivia, Hoylman-Sigal called Newsmax “not a credible news source” and demanded its removal due to what he described as “politically charged content,” pointing to the network’s coverage of immigration, the Post reported. He urged the city to put pressure on Curb — the TLC-licensed provider that carries Newsmax in taxis — by threatening to revoke or suspend its licensing agreement. (RELATED: CNN’s Harry Enten Says Democrats Will Have a Hard Time Taking Back the White House)
Newsmax has absolutely no place on the streets of New York.
I’m calling on TLC to suspend its partnership with Curb until Newsmax is no longer delivered to 15,000 New York City cabs every day. pic.twitter.com/5xgtvIt9vu
– Brad Hoylman-Sigal 🌈🥯 (@bradhoylman) January 30, 2026
Hoylman-Sigal argued in a video he posted on X that New Yorkers should not be exposed to Newsmax through Taxi TV, criticizing what he described as the network’s commentary on immigration. He called on the mayor and the Taxi and Limousine Commission to put pressure on Curb, including the possibility of revoking or suspending the company’s municipal licensing agreement, to force Newsmax off the platform.
Newsmax delivers content from national news programs to taxis in partnership with Curb, one of TLC’s authorized technology screen providers.
TLC defended Curb’s partnership with Newsmax, saying it reviews content and enforces clear standards, and noted that Newsmax’s current ads do not violate those rules, in a statement to the Post.
“We take seriously what New Yorkers see on Taxi TV screens, and we review that content regularly,” said TLC spokesman Jason Kersten. “There are clear rules that prohibit content that disparages or demeans individuals or communities. Based on these rules, Newsmax ads currently running on some New York City taxis do not violate TLC standards. “It is also important to note that passengers must have the option to mute or turn off the screens. We will continue to closely monitor all content to ensure it meets our guidelines.
Hoylman-Sigal also urged Mamdani to suspend the commission’s partnership that allows Newsmax to carry national news programs in taxis through Curb, one of TLC’s licensed in-cab screen providers.
“I urge you to summarily suspend the NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission’s partnership with Curb…and demand that Curb cease its collaboration with Newsmax as a condition of obtaining the permit given the platform’s history of misinformation and misleading reporting,” Hoylman-Sigal said in the letter.
In response to the letter, Newsmax hit back at the Manhattan borough president, calling his actions a “pure act of censorship” and that they were playing “straight.”
Manhattan Borough President Wants @NEWSMAX banned from all taxis. Here’s an idea: if you don’t like our content, just hit the Mute button. Read more: https://t.co/ps2hh5U4d2 pic.twitter.com/uJP3jcwcYy
– toddstarnes (@toddstarnes) February 2, 2026
“This is a pure act of censorship targeting a news organization that regularly reaches more than 50 million Americans,” Newsmax said in a statement. “Newsmax is playing fair, and it’s driving the far left crazy.”
“Since the launch of our Newsmax partnership, no opinion or editorial content has been broadcast on TaxiTV. All programming consisted solely of standard news segments reviewed to ensure compliance with our content standards,” a Curb spokesperson said in a statement to the Post.
Curb also noted that it regularly carries public service announcements from the Mamdani administration and other public agencies, “reinforcing our role as a neutral distribution platform for important civic and security-related information.”
Mamdani’s office did not immediately respond to The Daily Caller’s request for comment.
