As you splendid readers of this thing might remember, last month the hardworking staff wondered about this full-page ad that ran – twice – in the New York Times.

What we wondered, specifically, was whether outgoing New York mayor Michael Bloomberg himself had paid for the ad.

(The website Snarker – sorry, Gawker – wondered the same thing.)

So we emailed the “Appreciative New Yorkers” credited for buying the ad and asked if they were, in fact, a front group for Michael Bloomberg.

And, a month later, they’ve responded thusly:

Thank you for your comment. We are an independent group of private donors that wanted to thank the Mayor and his administration for his 12 years of service to the City of New York.

Best,
Appreciative New Yorkers

Okay then.

We sort of believe them.

But we also sort of don’t.