Jewish Democrats in Congress on edge after Zohran Mamdani's NYC primary win: ‘Huge problem'
The Dems in the US House of Representatives — including former chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee Debbie Wasserman Schultz — are uneasy over Mamdani's outward support for the anti-Israel BDS movement and his refusal to condemn the controversial 'globalize the intifada' slogan.
'To not be willing to condemn the term 'globalize the intifada,' it just demonstrates his callous disregard for antisemitism, terrorist activity,' Wasserman Schultz, now a Florida congresswoman, told The Hill newspaper.
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6 Mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani receives the endorsement from the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) Union at their Manhattan headquarters.
Matthew McDermott
'Globalize the intifada' is viewed by many critics to be a rallying cry to terrorize and kill Jews.
'Anyone that I care about couldn't possibly distance themselves from him more,' she added. 'It's really terribly disturbing and potentially dangerous.'
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Mamdani also supports BDS — boycott, divestment and sanctions — against Israel and once said he would arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a war criminal.
Ohio Rep. Greg Landman, who sports a tattoo written in Hebrew, called Mamdani's election in the city that has the largest Jewish population outside of Israel 'a huge problem.'
6 Jamie Raskin, Sarah Jacobs, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Brad Schneider, Laura Friedman, speak outside the Capital Jewish Museum the afternoon after two Israeli Embassy staff members were shot and killed in Washington, DC, on Thursday, May 22, 2025.
Bonnie Cash/UPI/Shutterstock
'It is happening in the context of a violent surge in antisemitism,' Landman told The Hill. 'Two Jews murdered here in Washington, D.C., at an event that some of us would have gone to had we not been voting, and then in Boulder, [Colorado] where Jews were set on fire.
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'And now this. It's definitely something that we're worried about.'
President Trump is already targeting Mamdani as a political foil, calling him a 'communist' as Republicans are eager to link Democratic opponents to him in battleground House seats ahead of next year's midterm elections.
New Jersey Democratic Rep. Josh Gottheimer said in a recent CNN interview, 'Someone who refuses to condemn hate speech is not acceptable. Why would he not condemn antisemitic language?'
6 President Trump has spoken out on Mamdani, calling him a 'communist.'
Matthew McDermott
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Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.), who represents a part of Florida with a large Jewish population, also told The Hill, 'If he can't tell people 'globalizing the intifada' — if he can't say that that's antisemitic, then obviously he's going to continue to add to the problem, not deflate it.'
Jewish legislators and Dem leaders from New York have been more muted in their response and the senior member of the House delegation — Manhattan Rep. Jerrold Nadler — endorsed Mamdani after his ranked-choice primary victory over a crowded field of candidates, including ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who he beat 56% to 44%.
State Democratic Party chairman Jay Jacobs — a closely ally of Gov. Kathy Hochul who is Jewish and also the Nassau County Democratic leader — has yet to comment on Mamdani's victory.
6 Wasserman Shultz said she was uneasy over Mamdani's support for the anti-Israel BDS movement.
Bonnie Cash/UPI/Shutterstock
Two Nassau County Democratic congressional representatives in swing districts — Laura Gillen and Tom Suozzi — have distanced themselves from Mamdani.
Senate Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Brooklynite who is the highest-ranking Jewish Democrat in Congress, congratulated Mamdani but has stopped short of an endorsement.
They all praised him for running a successful campaign that focused relentlessly on affordability.
Criticism of his anti-Israel stand didn't hurt his election result in the five boroughs though.
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Rep. Dan Goldman, who represents lower Manhattan and brownstone Brooklyn, also stopped short of an endorsement following a meeting with the Democratic nominee. He urged Mamdani to let Jewish New Yorkers know he will fight antisemitism.
6 Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) speaks during a press conference held by members of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee on July 20, 2023 in Washington, DC.
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'I explained why Jewish New Yorkers feel unsafe in the City and that, as he continues this campaign, he must not only condemn anti-Jewish hate and calls for violence, but make clear that as Mayor he would take proactive steps to protect all New Yorkers and make us secure,' Goldman said in a statement.
The Mamdani campaign had no immediate comment.
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But he has promised during the campaign that he would protect Jews and all New Yorkers and fight to crack down on discrimination.
6 Mamdani has promised during his campaign to fight to crack down on discrimination.
Matthew McDermott
Mamdani said he would increase funding for hate violence programs from $3 million to $26 million.
'There's no room for antisemitism in this city and this country,' Mamdani said before the primary.
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'It pains me to be called an antisemite. It pains me to be painted as I'm somehow in opposition to the very Jewish New Yorkers that I know and love and that are such a key part of this city,' he said.
On NBC's Sunday 'Meet the Press' program, Mamdani said he doesn't use the phrase 'globalize the intifada' but refused to condemn it.
'I don't believe the role of the mayor is to police speech,' Mamdani said.
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New York Post
36 minutes ago
- New York Post
Soros funneled $37 million to lefty groups backing Mamdani's mayoral run
That's rich. Socialist Zohran Mamdani has declared billionaires shouldn't exist, but it's unlikely he'd be the front-runner to become the Big Apple's next mayor if it wasn't for one — far-left kingmaker George Soros, financial records reviewed by The Post show. Mamdani recently told NBC News' 'Meet the Press, 'I don't think that we should have billionaires, frankly' while doubling down on his plan to jack up property taxes on 'richer and whiter neighborhoods' if elected mayor. Advertisement But in less than a decade, Soros' ultra-woke grant-making network Open Society Foundation has indirectly funneled a combined $37 million to the Working Families Party and at least other nine left-wing groups whose endorsements and get-out-the-vote groundwork played a pivotal role in helping Mamdani upset ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic mayoral primary, the foundation's records show. Since 2016, the far-left, socialist-friendly WFP — which helped score Mandani the Democratic line by brokering cross-endorsement deals that squeezed out Cuomo — has pocketed a staggering $23.7 million from Soros through its nonprofit fundraising arm Working Families Organization Inc. 5 Billionaire George Soros' grant-making network Open Society Foundation has indirectly funneled more than $37 million combined to the Working Families Party and nine other left-wing groups who played a pivotal role in helping socialist Zohran Mamdani (pictured) win New York City's Democratic mayoral primary, the foundation's records show. Michael Nigro Advertisement And at least another $13,944,005 went to the nine nonprofits and their offshoot fundraising entities — including the Make The Road Action ($3,515,00), and social justice nonprofits Community Voices Heard ($2,635,000) and Move On ($2.3 million), and the anti-Zionist group Jewish Voice for Peace Acton ($650,000), according to records. All those groups backed the Queens assemblyman's mayoral campaign – as well as his Marxist agenda that includes advocating for criminal migrants and condemning Israel. 'While Zohran Mamdani attacks job creators and rails against wealth, the truth is he's benefiting from millions in support from billionaires and the very nonprofit network he pretends to stand apart from,' Mayor Eric Adams told The Post. 5 Billionaire George Soros has a long history of funding socialist and other lefty causes — and politicians who support them. AFP via Getty Images Advertisement 'You can't have it both ways. We need leadership that brings people together — not politicians who demonize success while quietly cashing in on it,' added Adams, a registered Democrat seeking re-election as an independent. The mayor touted he's a great example of the 'American Dream,' considering he was born into poverty 64 years ago in Brownsville, Brooklyn, and now runs the 'greatest city in the world.' 'The idea that billionaires or successful people shouldn't exist isn't just extreme — it's un-American,' Hizzoner added. 5 The Working Families Party tapped Mamdani as its favored candidate in the mayoral race. LP Media Advertisement Douglas Kellogg, state projects director for the conservative anti-tax group Americans for Tax Reform, said no one should be surprised Soros' money is quietly driving Mamdani's campaign. 'George Soros is like a comic-book villain, James Bond villain who's funding a movement designed to undermine individual freedom and liberty across the globe,' said Kellogg. 'And he's been doing it for years, and he's continues to do it and finds new effective faces to put in front on it. If communism and socialism was popular, he wouldn't have to spend so much money and take so much time to try to achieve it.' 5 A breakdown of how Soros's money is being used to assist Mamdani's mayoral run. Tam Nguyen / NYPost Design Kellogg also said he believes there will be a mass Big Apple exodus of 'productive, law-abiding citizens who make New York great' if Mamdani is mayor, 'so the taxpayers and businesses have a lot to lose.' Although Soros and his family didn't directly donate to Mamdani's campaign, Patrick Gaspard, a former Open Society Foundations president who is now a distinguished senior fellow for a liberal think tank heavily funded by Soros called Center for American Progress, did play a key role. Gaspard, a longtime pal of far-left ex-Mayor Bill de Blasio who served as a top aide to former President Barack Obama, quietly helped guide Mamdani throughout the campaign, the New York Times reported. This included Gaspard meeting up with Mamdani and City Comptroller Brad Lander last month at Yara, a Midtown Lebanese restaurant, where over plates of fattoush, hummus and eggplant both mayoral candidates agreed to cross-endorse each other to help defeat Cuomo. Advertisement 5 Soros sitting with son Alex Soros, who chairs the Open Society Foundation. alexsoros/Instagram Republican mayoral nominee Curtis Sliwa said he believes Mamdani 'doesn't want to get rid of billionaires. He only wants to destroy the ones who don't bankroll his radical agenda.' 'If you're George Soros or part of the far-left donor class, you get a free pass and a seat at the table,' he said. 'Mamdani will drive out everyone else and turn New York into a city run by untouchables, where the Soros machine calls the shots.' Advertisement Billionaire John Catsimatidis, who owns the Gristedes supermarket chain, said Mamdani should be more transparent about his ties to Soros. 'I think America is the land of the free, and if it's billionaires . . . who are providing jobs, what is wrong with that?' said Catsimatidis. New York City is home to more billionaires than any city in the world — 123. 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New York Post
42 minutes ago
- New York Post
Foul! Mets logo 'illegally' co-opted to boost Zohran Mamdani
A knockoff baseball cap using the New York Mets' orange and blue colors and iconic 'NY' logo to boost Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani's mayoral campaign is being hawked online – without permission from the club or Major League Baseball, The Post has learned. The cap reads 'Zohran for NY Mayor,' with the interlocking 'NY' being the trademarked Mets logo. Some sellers, such as Good Shirts, which was charging $29.95 Friday for the commie cap, claim on their websites that 'a portion of proceeds will be donated to Zohran Mamdani's campaign fund.' Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani is the frontrunner to win the NYC mayoral election in November. Ron Adar / M10s / Another online seller, Eletees, was charging $40.95 per cap and boasts it's 'perfect for Mets games, political rallies, or casual outings, offering a stylish way to show support for both the team and the candidate.' Selling unauthorized merchandise that uses MLB team logos, names and other trademarks is considered trademark infringement, and the league has a long history of suing bogus sellers. A baseball cap using the New York Mets' orange and blue colors and logo to boost Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani's mayoral campaign is being sold across the Internet – without permission from the club or Major League Baseball. Eletees MLB said it was unaware of the Mamdani Mets' caps until notified by The Post and would review the matter. The Mets did not return messages. Mamdani campaign spokesman Andrew Epstein said Mamdani is a Mets fan but has nothing to do with knockoff caps or its sellers. He also insisted proceeds from the cap sales aren't going to the campaign. Eletees and Good Shirts did not return messages.
New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
UFT backing Zohran Mamdani for NYC mayor has members crying foul
Furious city teachers are threatening to pull their cash from the United Federation of Teachers' political activities fund after union leaders blindsided them and endorsed socialist Zohran Mamdani, The Post has learned. UFT President Mike Mulgrew and his top allies infuriated rank-and-file members Tuesday by pushing through a resolution to back Mamdani for mayor — approved by 63% of more than 1,000 delegates — with the vast majority of teachers on summer recess and caught off guard. A day after the endorsement, 90 educators vented their anger during a Zoom meeting held by the United Jewish Teachers and NYC Public Schools Alliance, groups battling antisemitism in city schools. 3 Mulgrew dismissed other candidates for mayor during a delegate meeting Tuesday at which the UFT endorsed Zohran Mamdani. Getty Images 'Mamdani's record includes deeply troubling associations with antisemitic and anti-American views,' said Karen Feldman, a middle-school teacher and co-founder of NYCPS Alliance. 'This goes beyond politics — it's about the safety of Jewish staff, the increasing ideological tensions in schools, and the breakdown of faith in a union meant to support, not divide.' Ramming through the Mamdani endorsement, Mulgrew never gave other candidates a real chance, sources at the meeting said. He dismissed incumbent Mayor Adams and ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo, both Democrats running as independents, as 'beholden to very rich powerful people,' and ripped Republican Curtis Sliwa for proposing to extend the school year. UFT members can donate as much as they want to union's political action arm, the Committee on Political Education or COPE, but the more than 100,000 who contribute typically give $5 per biweekly paycheck. Some union delegates and school chapter leaders told The Post they're getting peppered with questions from co-workers on how to drop payments to the COPE, and whether it's worth pulling $1,700 a year in union dues, too. 'Why should I pay dues to a union endorsing a guy who is a socialist and whose beliefs I vehemently oppose?' said a Bronx-based school chapter leader and delegate. 3 Teacher Karen Feldman said Mamdani's views have 'deeply troubling associations with antisemitic and anti-American views.' Gregory P. Mango The Jewish teacher group's Power Point presentation at the Zoom meeting cited Mamdani's 'anti-Zionist stance' and criticisms of Israel, which they said could influence curriculum choices and classroom discussions, 'potentially leading to a one-sided or politicized view of complex global conflicts.' The slides also warned of Mamdani's interest in making ex-'Squad' Rep. Jamaal Bowman, a fellow socialist and former Bronx middle school principal, the city's next schools chancellor. 'Stop all COPE payments today!' the group urged, spelling out how to do so. 'We urge all members to pull out of COPE to send a clear message to UFT leadership that our hard-earned money will not be used to support divisive candidates,' said Moshe Spern, president of United Jewish Teachers, a group of more than 250 educators. The group leaders said they didn't recommend members leave the union 'right now,' but Spern predicted an exodus in coming weeks. 'I get why so many are pulling their COPE contributions,' said teacher Daniel Alicea, a member of a rival UFT caucus that tried to boot Mulgrew from his $321,482-a-year post in the union's May election. 3 At a meeting, teachers angry at the UFT's endorsement of Mamdani were urged to stope their donations to the union's political arm. Obtained by the New York Post 'Political contributions are protected free speech, so you are free to express it with your wallet. So many see that their union is acting as an entrenched political patronage partisan machine that doesn't bother to give members a voice in the process.' The UFT — with nearly 200,000 members, including retirees — reports collecting 'dues and agency fees' totaling nearly $174.5 million for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2023, according to its most recent federal financial filings. It spent $4.5 million on 'political activities and lobbying' and another $4.3 million on 'contributions, gifts and grants.' The union's decision to back Mamdani comes after it declined to endorse a mayoral candidate in the June 24 Democratic primary, saying members were torn among Mamdani, Cuomo and former Comptroller Scott Stringer. The UFT would not address the potential loss of COPE payments or member dues, and brushed off criticism that Mulgrew had orchestrated and railroaded the vote for Mamdani. 'Endorsements are the result of a lengthy union review process with the final decision being made by the union's Delegate Assembly, which is made up of UFT members elected from every New York City public school,' spokesperson Alison Gendar said.
