Desperation on the part of whom?
This article was written by a left-leaning rag, the New York Daily News. Doesn't seem that DeBlasio's GOP opponent, Joe Lhota, whose name is conspicuously absent in the article, discovered the name changes and called them to their attention.
With DeBlasio supposedly having a large lead, Lhota needs something of a bombshell to shake up the race. This can be a springboard for him if he can connect the name changes to a larger pattern of deceit on the part of his opponent.
do know that DeBlasio is his mother’s surname. His birth dad I think had a German sounding name—but dad was absent, or an alcoholic or something-—third name? clueless!