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Politico
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Politico
Mamdani's biggest DC defender is… Ritchie Torres?
HIS HATER BECAME HIS WAITER: Israel-supporting, defund-the-police-decryin' and Cuomo-primary-allignin' Rep. Ritchie Torres seems to be going out of his way to defend Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani. When President Donald Trump threatened to arrest Mamdani, Torres called it 'disgraceful.' When more Republicans attacked Mamdani, he slammed them as Islamophobic on MSNBC. And when the controversy emerged around Mamdani identifying as African American on his college application, Torres defended him. 'I have had political opponents question the authenticity of Afro-Latino identity, and question my blackness,' he told The New York Times. 'And I deeply, deeply resent it. It makes my blood boil.' On Thursday, Torres even introduced a bill to censure a Tennessee House Republican who called for Mamdani's deportation. Those who know the Bronx's staunchest supporter of Israel may be surprised at his increasing bid to shield Mamdani from the onslaught of GOP attacks. But he is just the latest backer of Cuomo's primary bid who has sought to distance himself from the former governor — and even warm up to the lefty nominee. Today, Brooklyn Democratic Party Chair Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn — who backed Mayor Eric Adams, then endorsed Cuomo, and now backs Mamdani — appeared in a cheery video with Mamdani in which the pair toured Brooklyn's Little Haiti and asked voters to put Mamdani on their general election ballots. Torres still has not made an endorsement in the general election, but he made clear his Cuomo endorsement 'only applies to the Democratic primary' and had a 'mutually respectful' phone call with Mamdani. His team would not reveal to Playbook much about the conversation, beyond that Torres expressed he's committed to having a working relationship. Torres also faces the prospect of defending a challenge to his own seat from former Bronx electeds. Long-shot mayoral candidate and Mamdani-ally Michael Blake has recently taken to attacking Torres on social media since the primary, and pro-Trump pol Ruben Diaz Sr. said he might vie for Torres' post. On Monday, Torres was spotted smiling ear to ear in a group photo with Mamdani. His team did not comment on whether the two interacted at all during that event, either. 'If Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans are despicably demanding the 'deportation' and 'denaturalization' of a Democratic nominee — simply because he is a Muslim American — then I will speak out forcefully against their bigotry, and Democrats across the ideological spectrum should do the same,' Torres told Playbook in a statement. 'We must stand up and speak out against all forms of bigotry with moral clarity and consistency.' — Jason Beeferman FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL FLASH WARNING: The treacherous flash flood on Monday night and high temperatures expected later this week are laying bare the massive climate and infrastructure challenges facing New York City. As the city saw its second-wettest hour in history — and videos of rainwater spewing into subway stations went viral — Mamdani and incumbent Mayor Eric Adams were in agreement that the sewer systems of yesteryear were not meant to handle the storms of today. Mamdani honed in on the issue Monday night on X. 'Earlier tonight, NYC was drenched by more than 2' of rain in a single hour, flooding streets, basements and subways,' the Democratic nominee for mayor posted, thanking city workers and emergency responders. 'We must upgrade our infrastructure for this new climate reality.' Adams, who's running as an independent against Mamdani in the general election, held a news conference Tuesday. 'At the heart of what we are facing, the rulebook, things have changed drastically,' the mayor said on a conference call with reporters. 'Second highest rainfall in Central Park, not due to a Category 5 hurricane or a tropical storm. … It really must resonate: Our sewer system is not built to manage this much water at a short period of time.' The deep investment and long-term planning necessary to address the climate crisis will play a key role in the race for mayor — even as affordability and public safety remain the top issues for voters. Already, how to implement Local Law 97, intended to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the largest buildings, has come into sharper focus. Mamdani has signaled he would enforce the law more robustly, The New York Times reported. — Emily Ngo with Amira McKee TRUMP SPEAKS: Much of the primary between Mamdani and Andrew Cuomo revolved around who could better stand up to President Donald Trump as mayor of New York City. Trump said today outside the White House that he believes the former governor has a 'good shot' at defeating Mamdani, a democratic socialist who's been a top foil for Republicans. 'I think he should stay. I think he has a shot,' the president said when asked about Cuomo announcing he'll run in the general election as an independent after losing the Democratic primary. Trump, who has a good working relationship with Eric Adams, would not say which candidate he prefers. But he said of Cuomo, 'He's got to run a tough campaign. You know he's running against a communist; I would think he has a good shot at winning.' Mamdani is not a communist. Updated city Board of Elections results today showed he defeated Cuomo in the primary by 12.8 percentage points. — Emily Ngo FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Democratic House candidate Blake Gendebien, who seeks the North County seat held by Rep. Elise Stefanik, will report nearly $2 million cash on hand in his federal campaign finance filing today. It's a massive haul for a relatively unknown Democratic challenger in a deep-red district. But Stefanik, the high-profile Republican weighing a bid for governor, has a monster campaign war chest of her own at $10 million, according to her filing. Gendebien, a dairy farmer, raised $212,000 in the past three months — significantly less than the $3 million he pulled in the first quarter. — Emily Ngo From the Capitol STEFANIK SLAMS CUNY: Rep. Elise Stefanik called on City University of New York Chancellor Félix Matos Rodríguez to step down after criticizing him for failing to adequately tackle campus antisemitism. Stefanik — who has built a reputation for grilling college presidents over the issue — assailed Matos Rodríguez throughout a three-hour plus congressional hearing for allegedly failing to discipline faculty and employees with ties to pro-Palestinian activism. She urged Gov. Kathy Hochul to push the chancellor to resign, as the Republican lawmaker eyes a gubernatorial bid. 'I am calling on Gov. Kathy Hochul — the worst governor in America who has bent the knee to the antisemites in her party — to call on Chancellor Rodriguez to resign,' Stefanik told reporters following the hearing. 'She needs to make that call today.' Matos Rodríguez defended his work with Jewish organizations. 'Anybody who behaves in any way that is antisemitic, that sponsors violence against members of the Jewish community or any community discriminated [against] or harassed will be investigated and held accountable based on our rules,' he said. — Madina Touré and Bianca Quilantan IN OTHER NEWS — JESSICA VS. JESSICA: Marking the first major lefty primary challenge in the wake of Mamdani's win, Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas filed to run for state Sen. Jessica Ramos' seat. (City & State) — MAMDANI COURTS CONGRESS: On Wednesday, Mamdani plans to rub elbows in Washington with key Democrats, some of whom have been hesitant to endorse the Democratic nominee. (THE CITY) — ADAMS DENIED MATCHING FUNDS: The former mayor's struggles with the New York City Campaign Finance Board continue. (The New York Times) Missed this morning's New York Playbook? We forgive you. Read it here.
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Raskin points to Musk remarks in demanding release of Epstein files
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) doubled down on his call for the Trump administration to release more material on disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, pointing to tech billionaire Elon Musk's claims that President Trump is implicated in the alleged files. 'Elon Musk said that Donald Trump is in the Epstein files, and that's the real reason they haven't been released,' the lawmaker said Wednesday in an interview on MSNBC's 'All in with Chris Hayes,' paraphrasing comments Musk made during a public feud with the president over the massive tax and spending bill, which was signed into law July 4. Raskin, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, said the administration should release all the material it has on Epstein but, 'at the very least,' should release material related to Musk's remarks — noting the Tesla CEO spent months in the White House as a senior adviser to the president and had access to sensitive material. 'We've been hearing from Trump and [Attorney General] Pam Bondi and [FBI Director] Kash Patel and the Republicans, for years now, about all of the extraordinarily lurid things that are in there about politicians and people with extraordinary wealth and power who are on Epstein's list,' Raskin said. 'And that's what we want to see. They should release all of it.' 'At the very least, they should release those parts that were indicated by Elon Musk,' the Maryland Democrat continued, 'who, for a while, was Donald Trump's best friend and who was entrusted with the most important job in the administration — which was basically to dismantle the government of the United States — whose repercussions we're living with right now.' Earlier this week, Raskin led his fellow Democrats on the Judiciary panel in a letter asking the Justice Department to release former special counsel Jack Smith's report on the Mar-a-Lago classified documents investigation as well as any of the Epstein files that reference Trump. He accused Bondi of shielding potentially damaging information. 'This Administration has repeatedly claimed that President Trump is 'the most transparent and accessible president in American history.' So far, your DOJ has not only failed to live up to this promise, but you have also consistently hidden from the American public materials and information that may be damaging to President Trump,' Raskin wrote in a letter to Bondi, which was signed by 15 other Democrats on the committee. 'Your conduct is particularly worrisome as it appears to be part of a pattern of using the DOJ to cover up evidence of criminal wrongdoing by President Trump, including information allegedly contained in the Epstein files,' it continues. 'We write today to demand that you release the Smith report immediately, as well as any evidence mentioning or referencing Donald Trump in the Epstein files.' The letter came after the DOJ on Monday released a memo concluding Epstein died by suicide and did not keep a client list. That contradicted Musk's accusation that Trump 'is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public.' The president has denied being close with Epstein and fumed over questions about the matter during a Tuesday Cabinet meeting. 'Are people still talking about this guy? This creep? That is unbelievable,' Trump said Tuesday during a Cabinet meeting. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Raskin: Not releasing Epstein files ‘dangerous to public health and safety'
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) on Monday doubled down on his push for the Trump administration to release all of the files and names associated with late financier Jeffrey Epstein's case, saying failing to do so is 'dangerous' to the public. 'If there are literally other people on this list who are somehow implicated in these actions, it is dangerous to public health and safety not to release the names publicly,' Raskin said during an appearance on MSNBC's 'Deadline: White House.' His request comes after Attorney General Pam Bondi released binders earlier this year to conservative influencers called 'The Epstein Files: Phase 1.' She later signaled more information would be released, as the binders included details that were previously released. She also suggested during an interview with Fox News in February that a full client list was sitting on her desk for a review. Bondi sought to clarify those comments last week during a Cabinet meeting, saying she was referring to the files — not a list of names. Criticism of the administration's handling of the case came into full view earlier this month after the Justice Department and FBI issued a joint memo concluding Epstein committed suicide in his jail cell in 2019 and that there was no evidence pointing to a client list. Democrats and some MAGA supporters have lashed out over the memo, urging the administration to release the files in full. In his comments Monday, Raskin pressed for more transparency. 'If all of it is a concoction and an invention, then I think they need to come clean about that and say they don't have such a list or it's made up or what have you,' the Maryland Democrat told host Nicolle Wallace. 'But I think it's very dangerous just to leave these things hanging out there.' He also suggested President Trump is the one who made the decision to withhold files. 'Clearly, it's Donald Trump who's making the call here for whatever reason,' Raskin said. 'He said he was going to release it, and now he's saying there's nothing to see here and appears to be wanting to sweep the whole thing under the rug.' 'And I think that's an irresponsible way to proceed after having inflamed millions and millions of people in the country and raised all kinds of doubts about our law enforcement commitment to prosecuting child sex abuse,' he added. Trump has defended his administration in light of the controversy. During Tuesday's Cabinet meeting the president reprimanded a reporter who asked questions around the Epstein files and on Saturday, he said Bondi was doing a 'fantastic job.' The Hill reached out to the White House for comment. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
GOP blocks move to force release of Epstein files
House Republicans blocked a Democratic maneuver to force the release of the Epstein files. MSNBC's Ken Dilanian and NBC News' Melanie Zanona report the latest. New York Times Reporter Jeremy Peters and Swing Left Executive Director Yasmin Radjy join Chris Jansing to discuss the growing backlash against the Trump administration over the handling of the case.
The Hill
12 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Frost on ‘Alligator Alcatraz' visit: ‘I saw myself in those cages'
Florida Rep. Maxwell Frost (D) on Monday described the conditions immigrants are being held under at the Trump administration's newest detention center known as 'Alligator Alcatraz.' The lawmaker visited the site over the weekend and said he could see a reflection of his image while looking at the individuals being detained in the Everglades. 'Looking at the hundreds of men in there, I saw myself in those cages. I saw people who were my age, people who looked exactly like me,' Frost said during a Monday appearance on MSNBC's 'The Rachel Maddow Show.' 'And I thought when we were walking out of those doors of the — of the internment camp, I thought, I'm one of the only people that looks like me and that's my age that's going to actually walk out of this place without being deported or without being a staff member that's not allowed to really talk about what's going on in there,' he added. Frost is of Puerto Rican, Lebanese, and Haitian ancestry, according to his official website. He has railed against the Trump administration's efforts to detain and deport large numbers of immigrants in recent months citing his own ties to various migrant communities. The Florida lawmaker has specifically taken issue with what he says are the 'Alligator Alcatraz' site's inhumane conditions. He also described the facility as an 'internment camp.' 'Everyone's using different language, different names. I'm going with internment or even prison detention center because this — and this isn't even a detention center, right? The thing people have to realize too is when an immigrant is being detained, they're being detained because they're going through the legal process of deportation,' Frost told Maddow. 'They are not — have not been convicted of a crime. They're not serving a sentence for a crime. And so they should not be treated in this way. And to be honest, even if you're treated as a — even if you've been convicted of a crime in this country, you don't — you shouldn't be treated this way as well. The conditions were horrible,' he added. Lawmakers in California have also flagged poor conditions and overpopulation at detention centers on the West Coast. Frost said the Trump administration is using immigration enforcement as a means to racially profile and remove unwanted immigrants. 'They want more people behind bars. They want to incarcerate more people. And they want to ethnically cleanse — cleanse this country of certain types of immigrants. Because here's the thing, they're not going for every person here that's undocumented,' Frost said on Monday. 'Because when I was in that internment camp in the Everglades, I didn't see any Europeans who overstayed their visa. I saw nothing but Latino men and Haitian men. And as we look at these operations going around the country, they are targeting specific types of people. And it's the type of people that look like me.'
