John Samuelsen, the international president of the powerful Transport Workers Union of America, had just won reelection at a convention in Las Vegas when he learned of Mayor Eric Adams’ announcement that he was supporting a ban on horse carriages in Central Park. For Samuelsen, whose union has fiercely opposed a ban, it was a betrayal.

“You committed to support us. You’re no better than Bill de Blasio, you backstabber,” Samuelsen texted the mayor, referring to his predecessor’s efforts to ban horse carriages. The mayor did not respond, according to a copy of the text exchange shared with City & State.

Samuelsen later said that he was “blindsided” by the mayor’s announcement on Wednesday that he was now in support of Ryder’s Law, a City Council bill that winds down the horse carriage indu

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