Knowa De Baraso, a 13-year-old political influencer endorsing New York mayoral candidate Brad Lander, said he is standing by his support after Lander was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers on Tuesday.
Officials say Lander was arrested by federal agents as he was trying to accompany a person out of the courtroom. The person Lander was walking out of the courtroom with was also arrested.
He was later released without charges being filed.
Lander is the comptroller of the city and has gotten major endorsements from some progressives.
"He might not have the riz they want him to have, but that's fine," De Baraso said. "He has the policy. I put him number one."
Lander is among a crowded field of Democrats vying to advance out of next week's mayoral primary. Others in the race include former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and current Mayor Eric Adams.
"Unlike his opponents, he's experienced, but also progressive," De Baraso said. "I'm not going to say exactly what Andrew Cuomo did, but a lot of people expected me to endorse Andrew Cuomo. And I gave it some good thought, but it's not going to happen. We're going to support Brad Lander. Mainly, I'm supporting Brad Landers because he controlled that money well while he was the comptroller."
De Baraso suggested that Lander's arrest would help him in next week's primary.
"Donald Trump is unintentionally helping a Democrat, a progressive Democrat at that, become the next mayor of New York City," he said. "It's something we've never seen before. A candidate polling at the very, very top is being arrested by federal agents.
"It's disgusting. And it happened coincidentally (Tuesday), the day after my endorsement. It has literally nothing to do with each other, though."
