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New York Times
4 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
Mamdani Has a Thin Legislative Record but Is a Forceful Voice in Albany
During his whirlwind rise in the New York City mayoral race, Assemblyman Zohran K. Mamdani has put forth a wish list of big, expensive ideas. Rents for stabilized apartments will be frozen. Buses will be free. Taxes on the wealthy will rise and the cost of child care will fall — to zero. These proposals have energized his base, but their ambition will almost certainly exceed the ability of any mayor to see them through. The gap between what Mr. Mamdani wants to achieve and what is politically doable also characterizes his tenure as a state lawmaker. Of the 20-odd bills Mr. Mamdani has introduced during more than four years in Albany, just three relatively minor items have become law. He boasts of his signature free-bus initiative, but the pilot program was not renewed. And a much-ballyhooed proposal to clamp down on nonprofits supporting Israeli settlements was effectively dismissed by Assembly leadership in a rather public fashion. But more than two dozen lawmakers and staff members, including leaders in the Democrat-controlled Senate and Assembly, said in interviews that measuring Mr. Mamdani's impact in Albany requires looking beyond the number of bills that he introduced or that became law. They said Mr. Mamdani, 33, has made a conscious decision to use his voice to move the ideological center of the Assembly to the left. 'He is an exceptional communicator,' said Senator Julia Salazar, a friend and fellow Democratic Socialists of America member, who has endorsed him as part of a ranked-choice slate. 'I think his time in the Assembly has been characterized more by that than changing the law.' Apart from a bill that would require utilities to tell customers of proposed rate hikes, few of Mr. Mamdani's initiatives have shown signs of movement. Small-bore proposals, like a pitch to make clear to voters that they need to be registered with a party to vote in a primary, have failed to gain traction. The relative scantness of his record caused some colleagues to question his commitment to the unglamorous work of crafting legislation. 'I wish he was a harder worker,' said Senator Jessica Ramos, a Democrat who is also running for mayor. 'I believe that anybody who should be the mayor of the City of New York should have a legislative record to match.' But colleagues also acknowledged that he had engaged deeply with the legislation of others, helping to push parts of the Good Cause Eviction platform, the Build Public Renewables Act and an expansion of child care across the finish line, in large part by harnessing and focusing public attention. 'He's been seen as someone who can mobilize public opinion out of a certain demographic,' said the Senate deputy majority leader, Michael Gianaris, who has worked with Mr. Mamdani on a handful of local issues in their Queens districts. 'The mayor's race has not only proven that to be true, but probably increased his capacity to do that as well.' Mr. Mamdani's roots in progressivism and deft use of social media have prompted comparisons with Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a fellow New Yorker whose endorsement could prove pivotal for Mr. Mamdani as the June 24 primary election nears. She also faced criticism early in her career over a seeming preference to criticize, rather than work within, the Democratic systems of power. Mr. Mamdani disputed the notion that he is more interested in messaging than in legislating. 'My belief in politics is a belief in making the principled possible,' he said. 'And that requires working with anyone and everyone who shows interest.' When asked about his proudest moments in Albany, he pointed to a raft of improvements to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority that were included in the 2023 budget, including his free bus pilot. 'That was an achievement that I was only able to win due to building a coalition across ideology,' said Mr. Mamdani, noting the pivotal support of Mayor Eric Adams, even as he described the mayor as being directly 'in opposition to politics that I and many New Yorkers hold.' The free bus program made five lines — one in each borough — free for one year. The pilot was celebrated for boosting ridership, but the M.T.A. cautioned that it also caused confusion and may have led to increased fare evasion on other lines. Mr. Mamdani and his allies returned to the Capitol with a plan to expand the program in 2024 to a handful of buses in each borough. Five people familiar with the negotiations said that he was close to securing the expansion when an unrelated disagreement over housing reform undermined his efforts. The people familiar with the talks said that Mr. Mamdani opposed a landlord-friendly measure added late to the state budget, and that he told the Assembly speaker, Carl E. Heastie, that he would vote against the budget because of the measure. Mr. Heastie was incensed, the people said, and killed the bus pilot. Both Mr. Mamdani and Mr. Heastie deny that any retaliation occurred and say the program fell apart for reasons of its own. The episode was previously reported by Politico and New York magazine. It was not the first time Mr. Mamdani refused to support the budget. The year before, he also voted no to protest changes to the state's bail law. And in 2021, he voted yes, but only after asserting that he had been coerced into doing so. In an Assembly floor speech that year, he said he wished for a government 'that does not force us to take back too little to our constituents.' 'And if that change requires us to change the composition of this body, then so be it,' he added, in a threat to incumbents that echoed a similar move by Ms. Ocasio-Cortez. The protest vote can be a useful tool, most lawmakers agree, but its overuse is considered unsportsmanlike. 'It's hard to say, 'I want stuff in the budget,' and then not vote for the budget. I mean, you can't have it both ways,' said Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, who chairs the powerful Codes Committee. 'You're telling people: rent freeze, free child care, free buses, free this, free that,' Mr. Dinowitz said, 'but, you know, nothing is really free. Somebody else is paying for it.' Mr. Heastie, the Assembly speaker, said in an interview that he had a good relationship with Mr. Mamdani, whom he described as honest and passionate. 'I get no surprises out of Zohran, and I respect that out of him,' he said. Another of Mr. Mamdani's stalled legislative proposals grew out of his support for Palestinians and criticism of Israel. He introduced a bill that would end tax-exempt status for New York charities with ties to Israeli settlements that violate international human rights law. Shortly after it was introduced in spring 2023, Assembly leadership took the unusual step of weighing in on the legislation, calling it a 'non-starter.' Mr. Mamdani persisted in pushing for the measure. That effort, combined with his lack of an immediate expression of sympathy for Israel after the Hamas attacks of Oct. 7, 2023, deeply angered some members. More recently, Mr. Mamdani again was placed on the defensive after he did not co-sponsor a resolution to acknowledge the Holocaust. Assemblywoman Amanda Septimo, a Democrat and friend of Mr. Mamdani's, said that she did not believe him to be antisemitic. But she nonetheless opposed his bill and said some of his rhetoric 'unintentionally opens the door for people who may be antisemitic to hide under the guise, we'll call it, of other concerns.' Mr. Mamdani stands firm in his defense of Palestinians in Gaza, where over 53,000 people have been killed by Israeli forces, saying, 'At the core of this campaign is a politics of consistency and the belief that all people deserve dignity and equality and freedom without exception.' In recent interviews, he has proclaimed Israel's right to exist, and last week he was quick to denounce the killing of two Israeli Embassy employees in Washington as part of 'an appalling trend of antisemitic violence.' His fellow legislators say that Mr. Mamdani is still on a learning curve in Albany but is progressing. They say he seems more attuned than before to what it takes to accomplish policy changes, and more judicious when criticizing colleagues. Mr. Heastie also said that he believed Mr. Mamdani had 'legislatively matured,' even joking that he liked 'Zohran 2.0.' Perhaps the most telling evidence of Mr. Mamdani's evolution came earlier this month, when the budget bills came up for a vote. As in years past, they contained scores of policy changes, not all to Mr. Mamdani's liking. Mr. Mamdani voted yes.
Grazia USA
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Grazia USA
Cynthia Nixon On the Good, the Bad and the Cringe of 'Sex and the City'
Sex and the City star Cynthia Nixon attends the Broadway opening night of 'Our Town' at the Barrymore Theatre, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by) There are very few pieces of media that can stand the test of time two decades on, and according to Cynthia Nixon, Sex and the City is no exception. The cult show, which ran from 1998 to 2004, ruled TV screens, and the age-old question of whether you are a Carrie, Charlotte, Samantha, or Miranda still lives on. Yet, according to Nixon, there are facets of the cultural goliath that may be better left behind. The cast of Sex And The City ('The Caste System' episode). L-R: Kristin Davis, Kim Cattrall, Cynthia Nixon and Sarah Jessica Parker. 1999 Paramount Pictures 'It was always very difficult being on a show that was so white,' she told Grazia UK this week. 'I always hated that. When we would raise it, we were told; This is Candace Bushnell's world [the writer on whom the show is based] and it's a very white world. I'm like, OK…' 'Some of the trans stuff, some of the gay stuff was a little cringy to look at,' she lamented in retrospect. Her critique comes with credentials, as Nixon, who is part of the LGBTQ+ community herself, is no stranger to socio-political activism. She previously ran for New York Governor for the Democratic Socialists of America, has been actively advocating for Palestine, and just this month, she was seen at a Hands Off protest in New York City, among many other avenues of activism. Sex and the City's Cynthia Nixon greets New Yorkers during the petitioning parade for New York State Governor, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by) Though her appraisal comes with praise, too. Despite its shortcomings, Nixon stands by the show's representation of women. '[It's] a feminist show,' she continued. 'It's always been a feminist show… You can be a woman; you can have a lot of sex with a lot of different people.' When discussing its refreshingly open portrayal of sex, the actress believes the enduring fanfare is warranted. 'It didn't make you a slut and it didn't mean you were using sex to get something,' she said. 'You were having sex because you enjoyed having sex!' Further, the character of Miranda herself seems to have only gotten more appreciation for her feminist ethos as the show has aged. NEW YORK, NY – JUNE 10: Cynthia Nixon and Sarah Jessica Parker are seen filming 'And Just Like That…' on June 10, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Jason Howard/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images) 'Stuff she was ballyhooing from the rooftops, I think, became common wisdom,' Nixon noted. 'The culture did sort of move to meet where Miranda was standing.' However, she also added, reflecting on the current climate, 'Of course, in America, and I think in many places, the world is moving again… away from a lot of the feminist ideas that Miranda had.' With its continued relevancy, it is no wonder the franchise has resulted in multiple theatrical releases and its latest iteration, the And Just Like That spinoff series. Nixon stars in the series alongside Sarah Jessica Parker and Kristin Davis from the original show, with season 3 premiering this week. Kristin Davis, Sarah Jessica Parker and Cynthia Nixon are seen on the set of 'And Just Like That…' on July 20, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by James Devaney/GC Images) topics: Sex and the city, cynthia nixon, Sarah Jessica Parker, kristin davis, And Just Like That, celebrity, tv shows, Carrie Bradshaw, Charlotte York, Samantha Jones, kim cattrall, celebrity news, film, Film + TV, entertainment
Fox News
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani defends BDS support amid Israel controversy
Democratic socialist mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani doubled down on his support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israel — and refused to say the country has a right to exist as a Jewish state. Mamdani stayed firm in his support for the Palestinian-led BDS effort, calling it a "legitimate movement," during a Q&A with Democratic primary candidates hosted by the UJA-Federation of New York on Thursday evening. "My support for BDS is consistent with my core of my politics, which is non-violence," the Queens assemblyman said when pressed by Jewish Insider's editor-in-chief, Josh Kraushaar. "I think that it is a legitimate movement when you are seeking to find compliance with international law," he said. "The effectiveness of tactics of boycott, divestment and sanctions in order to motivate that compliance at the state level, on an individual level and that's where my support for it comes from." The state assemblyman from Queens said he believes Israel has a right to exist. But when pushed on whether it should exist as a Jewish state, he carefully sidestepped. "I believe Israel has a right to exist, and it has a right to exist also with equal rights for all," he said. Mamdani, a Democratic Socialists of America-backed politician, was peppered with questions about his stance on Israel during the event from the UJA-Federation, a massive philanthropic group supporting the Jewish community. The forum came just days after The Post unearthed a social media clip of the pro-Palestinian assemblyman leading a "BDS" chant during a May 11, 2021, anti-Israel protest. Despite Mamdani's open criticism of Israel, the lawmaker received a fairly warm welcome from those in attendance, according to recordings obtained by The Post, which, along with other press, was barred from entry at the door. Those inside the event, which took place some 24 hours after a pro-Palestinian radical gunned down two innocent Israeli Embassy staff members in Washington, DC, described the security as "wild," as organizers revoked the tickets of several people. During his roughly 20-minute appearance, moderators asked Mamdani about his remarks that, if elected mayor, he would order the NYPD to arrest Benjamin Netanyahu if the Israeli prime minister ever set foot in the Big Apple. "Ultimately, my position is one that I believe our city should be in compliance with international law," Mamdani said, noting the International Criminal Court has issued a warrant for the Israeli leader, adding that he'd have the same answer if he was asked the question about Russian President Vladimir Putin. "What troubles me greatly is that Benjamin Netanyahu has also issued military commands from this very city when visiting it," he said. Mamdani campaign spokesman Andrew Epstein said the candidate has been "consistent" in his beliefs regarding Israel. "Zohran has been consistent in his belief that Israel has the right to exist, a responsibility to adhere to international law, and that he supports non-violent movements to ensure compliance with that law," Epstein said in a statement Friday. "He was heartened by the warm reception last night to his vision for a New York that's safe and affordable for everyone." Mamdani, who has repeatedly come up second in the polls vying for the Democratic nomination, behind ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo, has recently been dogged by his anti-Israel rhetoric. He faced blowback from the Jewish community for failing to sign onto a pair of resolutions recognizing Israel and the Holocaust, in what his campaign wrote off as a procedural error. The revelation came just days after he got the endorsement of anti-Israel ex-"Squad" member Rep. Jamaal Bowman in the race for mayor of New York City, which is home to the largest population of Jews outside Israel. The lawmaker also pushed the "Not On Our Dime Act," which would have stopped New York nonprofits from supporting any groups that are involved with West Bank settlements.
Bloomberg
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Odd Lots: Zohran Mamdani, the Socialist Who Could Be NYC's New Mayor
We're just a month away from the hotly-contested Democratic primary for New York City Mayor. And one of the candidates -- Queens assemblyman Zohran Mamdani -- is running on a somewhat unusual platform. Endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America, he's proposing rent freezes, universal childcare, higher taxes on corporations and the wealthy, free buses, and city-run grocery stores. In this conversation, we talk to the would-be mayor about his socialist vision for New York, including how he plans to fund more public goods, what he would do to ensure that government-run services are up to standard, and why there should be Halal carts on every street corner.
Bloomberg
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Zohran Mamdani, the Socialist Who Could Be NYC's New Mayor
Listen to Odd Lots on Apple Podcasts Listen to Odd Lots on Spotify Subscribe to the newsletter We're just a month away from the hotly-contested Democratic primary for New York City Mayor. And one of the candidates -- Queens assemblyman Zohran Mamdani -- is running on a somewhat unusual platform. Endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America, he's proposing rent freezes, universal childcare, higher taxes on corporations and the wealthy, free buses, and city-run grocery stores. In this conversation, we talk to the would-be mayor about his socialist vision for New York, including how he plans to fund more public goods, what he would do to ensure that government-run services are up to standard, and why there should be Halal carts on every street corner. Odd Lots Live is returning to New York City on June 26. Get your tickets here!
