Bill Donohue huffs in an Oct. 1 Newsmax column about Democratic New York City mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio:
Quite frankly, Bill de Blasio has a problem with the truth. He was born Warren Wilhelm, Jr. in 1961. When he graduated from New York University in 1983 (where he was heavily involved in leftist causes), he changed his name to Warren de Blasio-Wilhelm. In 2002, he changed his name again, settling on Bill de Blasio. The only reason we know this is because the media put the spotlight on him, forcing the issue.
Donohue, of course, didn’t mention why de Blasio changed his name, which has been explained:
“I came from a pretty broken family and my father was not around for much of my upbringing. And the side of my family that really brought me up was my mom’s side, which is the de Blasio side,” he said in an interview that aired on Hot 97-FM Wednesday morning.
De Blasio was asked about a Daily News story this week chronicling the evolution of his name.
“Over time I did make two changes,” he said. “First I hyphenated my last names, and then I decided that really my mom’s last name was the one that represented who I was and I ultimately made that change. But I am the same person throughout.”
The candidate said he had always been called “Bill” or “Billy” by his family.
“I was given the formal name Warren when I was born, but for reasons I still don’t understand was never called it. I was always called Bill or Billy my whole life. It’s a mystery in my family but that’s how it happened,” he said.
That’s not the only sleaziness Donohue engaged in. He also sneers that maybe de Blasio will “honeymoon in North Korea” if he wins.