Brad Lander is the very definition of an unprincipled political weasel
As the city comptroller, Brad Lander must surely know that fellow Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani can't possibly make good on his pricey promises. And if he tries, he might bankrupt the city.
So will Lander finally be straight with New Yorkers and warn them of the dangers Mamdani poses?
Ha. During the primary, the weaselly Lander kept his lips sealed about Mamdani's 'free' everything — about how much it would actually cost, the fact that a mayor isn't likely able to raise taxes enough to pay for it all and the fiscal and economic disasters that would follow if he did.
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Surely Lander knew Mamdani's 'free-stuff' campaign was joke; if he didn't, he doesn't deserve to be comptroller, let alone mayor.
Yet Lander stood arm-in-arm with his Working Families Party comrade, and even cross-endorsed him. Even as he ran against him in the primary.
It's the very definition of a weasel.
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Lander could've told the truth about Mamdani's promises:
Free buses, like free lunches, would still have to be paid for. If funding is short, fewer buses will run.
Oh, and expect many of the buses to turn into fetid mobile homeless shelters as they did in other cities.
Making CUNY tuition-free would cost $1 billion while forcing the public colleges to eliminate degree programs and faculty positions.
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A proposed $9 billion tax hike on corporations and the city's top 1% of households would fuel out-migration and shrink city revenue.
Lander, by the way, didn't just stay silent about Mamdani's fiscal lunacy; he also refused to call out his socialist buddy's blatant antisemitism, even though the comptroller claims to be a proud Jew.
We're not counting on Lander to spill the beans now about his spend-happy pal's fiscal recklessness, especially since he may be maneuvering for a post in a potential Mamdani administration.
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More likely he'll keep radio silent.
But here's the good news: Lander leaves office at year's end; if New Yorkers are lucky, they'll never hear anything from him again.
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The Hill
an hour ago
- The Hill
Mamdani says his platform would be successful with candidates outside of NYC
New York State Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani, who appears to have secured a win in New York City's Democratic mayoral primary, said Wednesday that his platform would be successful with candidates outside of his city. 'Do you think that is a platform that would work for other candidates running in other parts of the country?' MSNBC's Jen Psaki asked Mamdani in an interview on 'The Briefing.' 'Absolutely. I think ultimately, this is a campaign about inequality, and you don't have to live in the most expensive city in the country to have experienced that inequality, because it's a national issue,' Mamdani responded. 'And what Americans coast to coast are looking for are people who will fight for them, not just believe in the things that resonate with their lives, but actually fight and deliver on those very things,' he added. Mamdani, a democratic socialist, shocked American political observers Tuesday as he seemed to be on the path to winning the Democratic nomination for the Big Apple's mayoral race over former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. He immigrated to the U.S. from Uganda as a child and has spent most of his life in the nation's biggest city. If Mamdani clinches New York City's top job, he would be its first Muslim and Asian mayor. The results will be final by July 1. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said in a recent interview that former Vice President Harris would be president if she had used the same campaign playbook as Mamdani. 'Look, he ran a brilliant campaign. And it wasn't just him. What he understood and understands — campaign's not over — is that to run a brilliant campaign, you have to run a grassroots campaign,' Sanders told Politico Magazine in a piece published Wednesday.
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Top Andrew Cuomo Donor Didn't Even Rank Him First In NYC Primary
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A top donor to former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's super PAC on Wednesday said he did not rank the candidate as his first choice in New York City's Democratic mayoral primary. The donor, investor Mark Gorton, also told The New York Times he will likely throw his support behind Zohran Mamdani, the 33-year-old state assemblyman who on Tuesday toppled Cuomo in a stunning political upset, all but clinching the Democratic nomination. Newsweek reached out to a spokesperson for Cuomo for comment via email on Wednesday. Why It Matters Mamdani's insurgent campaign sent shock waves through the political sphere, overcoming tens of millions of super PAC dollars poured into Cuomo's campaign and endorsements from Democratic heavy hitters including former President Bill Clinton and ex-New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg. Mamdani's campaign, conversely, was fueled by grassroots support and endorsements from progressive giants like New York U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and independent Vermont U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders. Mamdani, a democratic socialist, campaigned on rent freezes in the city, eliminating bus fares and increasing taxes on wealthy New Yorkers. Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani speaks at his primary election party on June 25 in New York City. Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani speaks at his primary election party on June 25 in New York City. Heather Khalifa/AP What To Know Gorton gave $250,000 to Cuomo's "Fix the City" super PAC but told the Times he ranked New York City Comptroller Brad Lander as his first choice for mayor. He added that he will likely support Mamdani because Lander and the state assemblyman cross-endorsed each other in the mayoral race. "I feel like people misunderstood my $250,000 for Cuomo for real enthusiasm," Gorton told the Times. "It was basically, 'Oh, looks like Cuomo is coming back. We don't want to be shut out. Let's try and get on his good side.'" Cuomo, who resigned from office in 2021 amid a cloud of sexual harassment allegations, largely represented the old guard of the Democratic Party. After launching his mayoral campaign in March, Cuomo was sharply criticized by his primary opponents for skipping candidate forums, making few public appearances and coasting on name recognition (his father, Mario, served as New York governor from 1983 to 1994). Cuomo conceded to Mamdani less than two hours after polls closed on Tuesday, when it became clear his campaign would not overcome the 7-point lead held by Mamdani. As of 10:18 p.m. ET Wednesday, 93 percent of the votes had been counted and the Associated Press (AP) had not called the race. But Mamdani, who stood at 43.5 percent support, will almost certainly be the Democratic mayoral nominee, though it will be several days until a final outcome is announced, due to New York City's ranked choice voting system. AP projected that no one candidate will get more than 50 percent of first-choice votes in the first round, meaning the candidate who's ranked first by the fewest number of voters will have their votes redistributed to voters' second-choice candidate. Voting will continue until there are two candidates left, at which point whoever has the most votes will be declared the victor. What People Are Saying Mamdani declared victory on Tuesday night, telling supporters at an election night party in Long Island City: "I will be the mayor for every New Yorker, whether you voted for me, for Governor Cuomo or felt too disillusioned by a long-broken political system to vote at all. I will fight for a city that works for you, that is affordable for you, that is safe for you, I will work to be a mayor you will be proud to call your own." Cuomo called Mamdani to concede and later congratulated him at his own election night party, telling supporters: "Tonight was not our night. Tonight was Assemblyman Mamdani's night." Cuomo went on to say his opponent "inspired [voters] and moved them and got them to come out and vote. He really ran a highly impactful campaign." Lander said at his election night party: "This much is clear: Together, we are sending Andrew Cuomo back to the suburbs. With our help, Zohran Mamdani will be the Democratic nominee." Ocasio-Cortez applauded Mamdani, writing on X: "Congratulations, @ZohranKMamdani! Your dedication to an affordable, welcoming, and safe New York City where working families can have a shot has inspired people across the city. Billionaires and lobbyists poured millions against you and our public finance system. And you won." What Happens Next Cuomo bowed out of the Democratic primary on Tuesday but has still secured an independent line on the mayoral ballot. He told CBS News that he's considering staying in the race: "The Democratic primary is always an interesting situation, right? There are about 5 million voters in New York City, there are about 8 million people in New York City, and about 1 million people vote in the Democratic primary. So it's not necessarily representative of the city at large." He added: "That's why I qualified for an independent line in November, I did that several months ago, because in the general election, more people come out to vote. It's a broader pool, if you will, of New Yorkers, more representative pool of New Yorkers."
New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
Who is Rama Duwaji? Wife of NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani he met on Hinge
Zohran Mamdani might not be the only radical relocating to Gracie Mansion in the fall — his artist wife, whose multimedia career often includes pro-Palestinian works, will be by his side if the Democratic primary winner claims another victory in November. Mamdani's wife — 27-year-old Rama Duwaji — shared the stage with her 33-year-old socialist husband after his stunning victory Tuesday night, one of the rare appearances she's made on the campaign trail. She was largely unseen since Mamdani announced his candidacy in October, but was thrust into the spotlight in May after The Post reported on the couple's small but lavish Dubai engagement celebration. Advertisement Mamdani took a moment to honor his wife after his stunning victory over disgraced former Gov. Andrew Cuomo. 'I must thank my incredible wife,' he said to applause from the watching crowd. 'Rama, thank you,' he added, kissing her hand. 'Couldn't possibly be prouder,' Duwaji wrote on Instagram after the Queens assemblyman's historic win, which, if elected, would see him become the youngest Big Apple mayor since 1914. Advertisement 4 Rama Duwaji, 27, joined her 33-year-old husband Zohran Mamdani onstage after his victory in the primaries Tuesday AP So, who is the possible future first lady of the Big Apple? Brooklyn-based Syrian artist The bio on Duwaji's Instagram, where she boasts nearly 85,000 followers, indicates she's originally from Damascus, Syria, though a campaign spokeswoman told the New York Times Wednesday that the artist is 'ethnically Syrian and was born in Texas.' The Post has reached out to Mamdani's campaign for clarification. Advertisement Duwaji told YUNG that she spent most of the COVID-19 pandemic with her family in Dubai, The Post reported last month. She has been working as an animator and illustrator in Brooklyn for several years, after earning a Master of Fine Arts in Illustration at $29,000-a-semester School of Visual Arts. 'Using drawn portraiture and movement, Rama examines the nuances of sisterhood and communal experiences,' according to her website. 4 'I must thank my incredible wife,' Mamdani said to applause. 'Rama, thank you,' he added, kissing her hand. Getty Images Advertisement Her notable clients include the New Yorker, Washington Post, BBC and London's famed Tate Modern gallery, it added. Duwaji's work — largely pen-and-ink-style digital illustrations — centers on pro-Palestine, Arab and female identity themes, showing burka-clad women crushed under rubble or keffiyeh-clad protesters being pinned down by police. One extended animation — also posted by her husband's Instagram account — describes how New York charities send more than $60 million to 'fund Israeli war crimes.' 'By recognizing groups like these as charities, New York is subsidizing Israel's illegal settlement expansion and state violence against Palestinians,' the animation says. Others refer to Palestinians facing an 'ethnic cleansing' or show support for Mahmoud Khalil, the Columbia University protester arrested by the Trump administration for his part in widespread anti-Israel protests at the Ivy League school. Duwaji and Mamdani met on Hinge Mamdani and Duwaji met several years ago on the dating app Hinge, but little is known about the city's potential first couple beyond a bevy of lovey-dovey photos posted on Instagram. 'Rama isn't just my wife, she's an incredible artist who deserves to be known on her own terms,' Mamdani wrote on the platform when he shared photos from their civil ceremony at the City Clerk's office, his first major public mention of his wife. 4 Duwaji is an illustrator and animator who has been living in Brooklyn. She met Mamdani on Hinge several years ago. Laura Thompson/Shutterstock Advertisement 4 Duwaji and Mamdani were married this past winter at the City Clerk's office. Instagram/Rama Duwaji The ceremony came months after the two secretly held an engagement and Nikkah — an Islamic religious ceremony in which a couple signs a marriage contract — in Dubai, according to Instagram posts by florist LMF Dubai. The bash was held Dec. 22, 2024, on the rooftop of Vida Creek Harbour, which boasts breathtaking views of the Burj Khalifa, according to the post. Advertisement 'Before their civil ceremony in New York City, Zohran and his wife celebrated their engagement in Dubai last year—where her family lives—with a small, joyful ceremony surrounded by their loved ones,' the Mamdani campaign said in a statement. What's next for Mamdani's campaign Mamdani earned 43.41% of the vote in the ranked-choice ballot to beat out Cuomo, 67, who nabbed 36.42%, and conceded to Mamdani soon after polls closed Tuesday. That means Mamdani will take on incumbent Mayor Eric Adams — who is running as an independent — in November, along with Republican Curtis Sliwa. Mamdani, a Queens assemblyman born in Uganda to a professor father and a renowned movie-making mother, would be the first Muslim to serve as New York City mayor.
