Critical pol gets MSG boot
Ripped ‘facial’ ejections
He’s used it to bar the lawyers — now Madison Square Garden CEO James Dolan is targeting elected officials for bashing his controversial use of facial recognition software to screen attendees.
West Side Assemblyman Tony Simone says MSG yanked an invitation to attend an upcoming event after he criticized Dolan’s (inset) practice of using the controversial tech against his enemies.
“This could lead to corporate abuse,” Simone told The Post Tuesday. “If Jim Dolan doesn’t like you, you don’t come to his events.
“What, I’m not gonna see Madonna in a year, because I said something bad about the company?”
Simone was one of several local pols who hit MSG at a Sunday press conference over its use of facial recognition software to eject from the Garden and Radio City Music Hall lawyers who work for firms tied to litigation against the company.
The freshman legislator said the situation turned ironic when an MSG representative called him to say they didn’t “feel it would be the appropriate time” for Simone, the district’s first LGBTQ elected representive, to attend the NHL-sponsored Hockey is for Everyone event.
“I was excited to drop the puck on Hockey Night,” Simone said. “Then to be excluded just because I want to speak out against the policy kind of proves our point.”
Simone said it’s “unclear” whether he is blocked from attending other events at MSG venues. “I have not been told I am banned, was just disinvited from this event,” he said.
A spokesman said Simone was not banned from future MSG events. “We are disappointed he has chosen to side with a small group of attorneys defending ticket scalpers and other money grabbing schemes, rather than honor our LGBTQ community and the underprivileged kids of the Garden of Dreams Foundation at the January 27th Rangers Pride Night game,” the rep said.
Simone’s plight was first reported Tuesday by Chelsea News.
Four attorneys who worked for firms tied to litigation against MSG say they were spotted by facial recognition software and told to leave by security while trying to attend events in their off hours.
The company has claimed it is well within its legal rights to bar people from attending events.
“That’s dystopian,” Simone said. “How would you know if other corporate leaders won’t start using this? How do we know if they are already using it? Come on.”
Local pols like Simone noted that MSG receives a range of public support, including a state tax abatement as well as an expiring city permit that allows the Garden to seat more than 2,500 people despite city zoning rules.
“With these factors in mind, we trust MSG Entertainment will act accordingly and immediately cease the use of personal biometric technology for nonsecurity purposes,” reads a Jan. 15 letter to Dolan signed by Simone and other pols.
US Rep. Jerrold Nadler, state Sens. Liz Krueger, Brad HoylmanSigal, Kristen Gonzalez and Brian Kavanagh as well as Assemblyman Alex Bores and Councilman Erik Bottcher also signed the letter.