Julie Menin
Role at the time: Speaker of the New York City Council
Condemned
Statement summary
Menin criticized federal inaction and said cities should act on AI safety.
“When the federal government fails to act, cities take the lead”
Read the official statement (opens in a new tab)NYC Council account of its October 5 AI hearingOpening account, witness list and Julie Menin quotation.
The Council describes testimony and proposed city measures. Its quoted risk estimates are the witnesses' assessments, not a measured probability established by the Council.
Why we used this label
The case examines Washington's safeguards. Menin expressly criticizes the federal government's failure to act; her support for city measures does not reverse that criticism into a defense.