Latest news with #FiveBoroughsAgainstTrump
New York Post
20 hours ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Brooklyn Democratic Party hacks' support of Zohran Mamdani is really about the next council Speaker and patronage
We had to laugh when everyone present tried to spin this week's Brooklyn stop on Zohran Mamdani's 'Five Boroughs Against Trump' tour as a dramatic show of Democratic Party unity, when it was plainly nothing more than an alliance of convenience with the Kings County's most prominent Dems conspicuously absent. Public Advocate Jumaane Williams insisted that the media needed to 'understand what's going on right now, because I don't think this group of people agree about nothing' — yet they still don't. Williams and other radicals (including supposed reformers) were basking in the glow of fellow-traveler Mamdani's primary triumph, but the machine politicians like Assemblywoman Rodneyse Bichotte Hermalyne, the county Democratic boss, were just trying to make sure their bread will still be buttered. Bichotte Hermalyne and her allies had endorsed ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the primary, obviously because he seemed the sure winner, but Andrew's political corpse wasn't even cold when she announced in a NY1 News interview her support for Mamdani in the general election. Beyond other patronage, she and her 'regular' Democrats are likely also hoping to cut some deal that nabs their faction the City Council speakership next year as a reward for jumping so quickly behind Mamdani. Not all pols are that squalid: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and other notable Brooklyn Dems very much did not turn out for the 'unity' farce. Then again, Jeffries and Schumer are actually working ceaselessly to counter Trump, not just posturing about it so they can avoid addressing other issues. The point is that these politicians (like others across town) are 'uniting' behind Mamdani because it serves their factional interests, not because they think he'll be good for the city. The Democrats who truly care about New York are conspicuous by their silence.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Mamdani takes aim at Trump's immigration policies in fiery Staten Island speech: 'We are fighting to keep NYC a sanctuary city'
New York City's Democratic mayoral nominee, Zohran Mamdani, brought his anti-Trump campaign swing to Staten Island on Wednesday, blasting President Donald Trump's signature immigration reform agenda. Trump was once again front-and-center in the race for Gracie Mansion on Wednesday as Mamdani continued his "Five Boroughs Against Trump" tour at the Istanbul Bay Authentic Mediterranean Restaurant on Staten Island. "As we gather here on an island, where nearly 1 in 4 were born outside of this country, an island where 30% of its residents speak a language other than English, it's an island that we know is not immune from this horrific crackdown. We are seeing from the Trump administration. We are seeing it and feeling it," Mamdani said. "And we know that it has nothing to do with safety. It has to do with punishment." While Trump campaigned for president last year on securing the border and deporting illegal immigrants, Mamdani is campaigning for mayor this year on protecting New York immigrant communities amid Trump's deportation rollout. Joined by Staten Island District Staten Island District Leader, Jasmine Robinson, Immigration Rights Activist, Yesenia Matas, and President of the Staten Island Democratic Association, Ali Ansari, Mamdani focused Wednesday's event on Trump's "horrific attacks on New York City's immigrant communities" in which he continues to "rip New Yorkers off the street without due process." Mamdani Zings Cuomo In Rent-stabilized Housing Spat During Anti-trump Tour Stop Read On The Fox News App "It is not enough to fight against authoritarianism. What are you also fighting for? We are fighting to keep this city a sanctuary city," he said. Mamdani said earlier this month that New York City and the United States are facing a "dark moment." He then called the Trump administration an "authoritarian government" and slammed ICE for "abduct[ing]" immigrants." According to Mamdani's campaign website, he is committed to "Trump-proofing NYC," by removing ICE from "all City facilities" and strengthening sanctuary city laws. Zohran Mamdani Launches Anti-trump Tour Across Five Boroughs In New York City Resistance to Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration dominated headlines during New York City's Democratic mayoral primary, in which Mamdani handily won in June. Primary contender and New York City Comptroller Brad Lander—whom Mamdani cross-endorsed and campaigned with in the primary—was arrested by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents in June after being accused of assaulting a federal officer as he tried to escort a migrant from their federal immigration court hearing. While Lander ultimately faced no charges, the incident catapulted Trump's illegal immigration crackdown onto the New York City campaign trail. After being detained for several hours, Lander joined fellow primary candidates outside 26 Federal Plaza, an immigration facility in Manhattan, as Mamdani called the incident "fascism." It was one such instance of elected officials being detained by federal immigration officials as they protested Trump's deportations, including Newark mayor Ras Baraka in neighboring New Jersey. Sen. Alex Padilla of California was also forcibly removed and handcuffed by federal agents earlier this year when he shouted questions about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids at DHS Secretary Kristi Noem during a press conference. Protests rejecting ICE have erupted across the country this year, particularly in Los Angeles, where protests delved into riots, leading Trump to authorize the National Guard without Gov. Gavin Newsom's request – the first time in 60 years. During incumbent Mayor Eric Adams' tenure, New York City became an epicenter of the migrant crisis as President Joe Biden's administration lifted COVID-era Title 42 expulsions and Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, began sending busloads of migrants to New York City from his border state. As the situation unfolded, Adams began speaking out against Biden's immigration policies, calling New York City's migrant crisis a state of emergency. When Mamdani declared victory in the Democratic primary, he described his vision for New York City's future as a place "where the mayor will use their power to reject Donald Trump's fascism, to stop mass ICE agents from deporting our neighbors and to govern our city as a model for the Democratic Party." Meanwhile, Adams built a reputation during his tenure for challenging Biden's immigration policies while vowing to coordinate with Trump's illegal immigration crackdown, including working alongside Trump's border czar, Tom Homan. Adams has also cozied up to Trump since he was elected in November, visiting both Mar-a-Lago and the White House. Trump's Justice Department dropped bribery, wire fraud and conspiracy charges against Adams earlier this year. Gov. Kathy Hochul, D-N.Y., weighed removing Adams from office following a slew of City Hall resignations after Adams' case was dropped. Adams and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo are both running as independent candidates in New York City's mayoral race, and Curtis Sliwa is the Republican nominee. The election is on Nov. 4. Fox News Digital's Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report. Original article source: Mamdani takes aim at Trump's immigration policies in fiery Staten Island speech: 'We are fighting to keep NYC a sanctuary city' Solve the daily Crossword
New York Post
4 days ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Mamdani's ‘war' against Trump spells bad news for NYC
Zohran Mamdani's 'Five Boroughs Against Trump' tour makes oodles of sense for him — but only at the expense of the rest of the city. Not just because the last thing New Yorkers need is a mayor seeking a war with the White House, since they'd inevitably be the cannon fodder. More: Centering the mayoral debate on countering President Donald Trump encourages everyone to ignore all the issues Mamdani doesn't want voters thinking about, like how to make the streets and subways safe, the public schools functional and the local economy growing. It also prevents any focus on his privilege and inexperience, his cop-hatred, his obsessive loathing of Israel and the unworkability of pretty much his entire 'positive' agenda. Truth is, it mainly appeals to the vanity of his Democratic Socialists and their cheerleaders: Already imagining that their guy's surprise victory (in a Democratic primary) puts America on the brink of a new socialist era, they now get to also dream of Mamdani somehow turning the tide against Bad Orange Man. Except that he can't 'stand up' to Trump (beyond boring bits like the legal efforts to claw back improperly canceled grants that Mayor Eric Adams already has under way). Indeed, no mere mayor of any city can. Check the US Constitution: You'll find no mention of a mayoral power to check the president, Congress or for that matter the Supreme Court. And in the real world, a Mayor Mamdani declaring war on Trump would entail setting City Hall on fire and expecting the White House to burn down. New York City has zero leverage over the federal government, except perhaps 1) Wall Street's money — which socialists can't direct except via their trust funds — and 2) whatever power the national media has left — when the media's already done its damnedest to stop Trump. The feds, meanwhile, can screw New York eight ways to Sunday, starting with cutting back on the hundreds of billions it sends our way. Nor can local government 'withhold' New Yorkers' taxes, as some whiz kids in the Legislature suggest. State Attorney General Tish James, Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg and a few complacent judges have already waged their worst lawfare against Trump, while then-Mayor Bill de Blasio did what he could against the Trump businesses that remain here. 'Trump-proofing' the city — the new tough talk from progressives around the country — is an empty threat, too: Federal law almost always trumps state and local ordinances. Playing tough guy and talking big is sure to give Mamdani lots of outraged outtakes for his social media. But he is writing checks that the people of NYC will have to pay.
New York Post
4 days ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Zohran Mamdani can't stop talking about Andrew Cuomo's rent-stabilized dig during anti-Trump NYC tour
So much for Zohran Mamdani's ballyhooed anti-President Trump tour. The Democratic socialist on Tuesday again spent a stop on his weeklong 'Five Boroughs Against Trump' tour instead bashing his mayoral election rival Andrew Cuomo — calling the pugilistic ex-gov 'petty' amid their escalating spat over Mamdani's $2,300 rent-stabilized apartment. Even when Mamdani spoke about Trump, he attempted to tie the president to Cuomo, arguing the two hotheaded Queens natives share many similarities. 'We must remember that Andrew Cuomo has spent more time talking about my apartment than asking why so many New Yorkers are being forced out of theirs,' Mamdani said at his 'Brooklyn Against Trump' event. 'He has spent more time criticizing me than he has criticizing the legislation that Donald Trump has passed.' 3 Mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani again attacked his rival Andrew Cuomo on his anti-Trump tour. Gregory P. Mango Cuomo, in the latest salvo in what he has ambitiously dubbed '#Rentgate,' demanded on X Tuesday that Mamdani cough up his lease to prove he didn't have his highbrow parents — a famed filmmaker and an accomplished academic — co-sign his one-bedroom Astoria apartment. The nasty feud comes as Cuomo, who's running as an independent in November after a humiliating loss to Mamdani in the Democratic mayoral primary, hopes to take the wind out of his rival's sails. The bare-knuckle Cuomo clearly hopes a scorched-earth campaign will make up much needed ground, said Andrew Kirtzman, managing director of the consulting firm Actum. 'It seems like (Cuomo) thinks he's getting traction with these rent-stabilization attacks,' Kirtzman said. 'Maybe he has, maybe he hasn't. I don't think that most New Yorkers are going to become as outraged over this as Cuomo wants them to be.' 3 Andrew Cuomo has been hitting Mamdani where he lives. Matthew McDermott 3 Mamdani lives in a $2,300-a-month rent-stabilized apartment. Brigitte Stelzer But Cuomo hitting Mamdani where he lives — and proposing 'Zohran's Law' targeting supposedly privileged New Yorkers living in rent-stabilized homes — has clearly irked the usually sunny socialist. The speakers at Mamdani's event — a Who's Who of progressive Big Apple lawmakers, including Public Advocate Jumaane Williams — attacked Trump for pushing a 40% cut to Big Apple housing assistance. Mamdani, who pulls $142,000 a year as a state assemblyman and lives in a $2,300-a-month rent-stabilized Astoria apartment, himself focused on Cuomo's proposed law. He noted Cuomo is calling to require New Yorkers wanting a rent-stabilized apartment to spent at least 30% of their income, which is the level that experts and US Census Bureau consider households to be rent-burdened. 'This policy is indicative of so much of Andrew Cuomo's politics, where it works backwards from a petty vindictiveness, and it does not care who it harms in the process,' Mamdani said. Mamdani's spokeswoman Dora Pekac declined to comment on the candidate's lease, but was unapologetic about linking Cuomo and Trump. 'Andrew Cuomo has called the president for political advice, aligned himself closely with him on matters personal and political, and is co-signing his dangerous authoritarian spirals,' she said. 'Put simply: Andrew Cuomo is complicit in the terror Donald Trump is wreaking on working New Yorkers — and we must never allow our city to forget or forgive him for it.'
Politico
4 days ago
- Politics
- Politico
Kings County kumbaya for Mamdani
With help from Amira McKee THE UNI-TEA: Brooklyn Democrats can be a fractious, feuding bunch. Today, for a short while at least, they buried the hatchet. Bitter rivals stood side by side in boisterous support of Zohran Mamdani at the Flatbush Gardens housing complex, the second stop of the Democratic mayoral nominee's 'Five Boroughs Against Trump' tour. The group included the leader of the Kings County Democratic Party and members of the New Kings Democrats faction, which sprung up as the reformist response to county bosses. It featured moderate Democrats as well as progressives and democratic socialists. 'First of all, media, I need you to understand what's going on right now because I don't think this group of people agree about nothing,' Public Advocate Jumaane Williams observed to chuckles before he launched into his remarks. Williams said New York Democrats more broadly should follow their example in supporting the party's nominee for mayor. Key party and Brooklyn leaders, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Rep. Yvette Clarke, were not in attendance and have yet to endorse Mamdani. Mamdani defeated Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary seven weeks ago, but many in his party say they still don't know the young Queens state assemblymember well enough to get behind him. Some say his proposals to freeze rent and make buses free are too unrealistic. Others cite his criticisms of Israel and his reluctance to condemn the phrase 'globalize the intifada' as reasons for concern. Mamdani has struggled to shore up support among politically moderate Black and Jewish voters. For House Democrats focused on winning the majority next year, there's additionally the concern that having a democratic socialist as the face of the party could hurt moderate Democrats in suburban battlegrounds. But their colleagues in state and city government said today in central Brooklyn that the party needs Mamdani to face President Donald Trump. State Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, chair of the county party, endorsed Eric Adams in 2021, Cuomo in this year's primary and Mamdani immediately after he trounced the former governor in June by nearly 13 points. 'People just don't understand that we all want the same thing,' Bichotte Hermelyn told Playbook, referring to Brooklyn Democrats. 'The little political fights, it's just surface. But we all want affordability. We're all fighting for a working class, we want equity, we want fairness.' The vibe had enough kumbaya to it that Bichotte Hermelyn and City Council Member Justin Brannan stood next to each other. Yes, the same two Democrats who waged one of the nastiest intraparty clashes in recent memory during Brannan's 2023 campaign. (She revived bullying accusations against him, he won without party resources and concluded on election night that she's 'gotta go.') Progressive New Kings members had praise for both Mamdani and Bichotte Hermelyn in explaining how a diverse cross-section of Democrats could get on the same page. 'It's indicative of his campaign and who he is,' Council Member Crystal Hudson said of Mamdani. 'If all of us can come together behind him, he's doing something.' Council Member Chi Ossé told Playbook, 'I really do applaud Rodneyse on immediately getting into lockstep and showing that Democratic unity is important here. ... I think the entire party needs to continue doing what we're doing in there.' — Emily Ngo From the Capitol GOP SPLIT IN ASSEMBLY SPECIAL: Republicans are beginning to coalesce around a candidate for the looming special election to replace Democratic Assemblymember Billy Jones — but not the party leader with the most say in choosing a nominee. Malone Mayor Andrea Dumas locked down support from Rep. Elise Stefanik last week. She was endorsed today by the Conservative Party and Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay. But Stefanik put out a lengthy statement this afternoon calling on Clinton County GOP Chair Jerika Manning to resign for 'threatening to tank' the special. 'I am not going to let her torpedo Republican candidates in the North Country,' Stefanik wrote. Manning controls 53 percent of the vote as party leaders choose a nominee for the race that'll likely be held on Election Day. Two individuals familiar with the situation said Stefanik's statement came about after the county chair declined to join other Republican leaders in endorsing Dumas and continued searching for a new candidate. Manning did not return a request for comment. Plattsburgh Supervisor Michael Cashman has been widely seen as the front-runner for the Democratic nomination. Bridie Farrell, a Child Victims Act advocate and former speed-skater who briefly ran against Stefanik in 2022, formally joined the Democratic field today as well. — Bill Mahoney NOT SWEATING: Gov. Kathy Hochul shrugged at a Siena University poll released this morning that found Stefanik, a potential gubernatorial rival, running competitively in the suburbs and among independent voters. 'I'll let you all figure it out,' she told reporters. 'I'm working hard every single day putting money back in peoples' pockets, making streets safer and fighting the damn Trump administration.' The survey found Hochul with a 14-point lead over Stefanik, 45 percent to 31 percent. The gap between the Democratic governor and the House Republican, while comfortable, is smaller than the 23-point difference Hochul held in June. 'I've been through countless polls and, guess what, team, there's going to be a lot more between now and November,' she added. — Nick Reisman ADULT LEARNERS EYE FREE TUITION: More than 16,500 New Yorkers applied to a free community college program for older students, Hochul announced this morning. The City University of New York received about 7,000 of the applications from students seeking associate degrees in high-demand fields, CUNY Chancellor Félix Matos Rodríguez said. The remainder went to the State University of New York. The initiative — aimed at adult learners between the ages of 25 and 55 — applies to the 37 community colleges run by SUNY and CUNY. The program, set to begin this fall, is part of Hochul's affordability push, as she faces a tough reelection bid next year. 'I'm going to keep doing my part, focusing on families — my fight is for your family,' Hochul said during a press conference at LaGuardia Community College in Queens. 'Focusing on affordability — this is a major part of it, but also putting more money back in people's pockets.' Hochul insisted the state 'has no limit' on the number of applicants because enrollment is still lower than it was before the Covid-19 pandemic. Some 4 million working-age adults in New York do not have a college degree or credential, according to the governor's office. State lawmakers and higher education advocates told POLITICO earlier this year that community colleges don't have enough money to implement the plan. The governor allocated $47 million in the state budget for the upcoming school year. When asked by Playbook about those concerns, Hochul pointed to record investments in SUNY and CUNY. — Madina Touré FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL TAKEOVER TAKES: Trump's unprecedented effort to take over law enforcement in Washington drew a reaction from Mayor Eric Adams today. Asked about Trump's actions, Adams touted recent decreases in major crime categories to make the case that New York City does not need the type of federal intervention playing out in the nation's capital. 'I'm not part of the group that says we don't want to work with the federal government, but we don't need anyone to come in and take over our law enforcement apparatus,' Adams, who is running for reelection as an independent, said during an unrelated news conference. 'We've got this under control.' Rival independent candidate Andrew Cuomo claimed the turn of events in Washington is 'exactly what will happen' if Mamdani wins the general election this fall, though Trump would be more limited in the control he could exert over the NYPD. 'Trump will flatten him like a pancake,' Cuomo posted Monday on X. 'In 2020, Trump sent the National Guard into other states. Not New York. There's only one person in this race who can stand up to Trump: the one who already has, successfully and effectively.' Mamdani warned Trump against trying a similar militarization in New York City, as the president has repeatedly floated, while chiding Cuomo for comments he made during a June CBS interview where he warned federal immigration officers are 'going to do things that are illegal and unconstitutional' but cautioned New Yorkers not to overreact. 'Donald Trump is not above the law and if he comes for New York City, he will have to go through me,' Mamdani said in a statement today. 'As Mayor, I will not downplay or enable his authoritarianism — and I certainly will not tell New Yorkers not to 'overreact' as Andrew Cuomo did when Trump's militia tried to bulldoze Los Angeles.' — Maya Kaufman and Joe Anuta ENDORSEMENT WATCH: Former Gov. David Paterson is set to endorse Adams' reelection bid during a Wednesday event at City Hall, according to a person with direct knowledge of the gathering. The nod comes a month after Paterson held a press conference that called for a united front to defeat Mamdani in the general election. So far, the former elected's wishes are not playing out. Neither Cuomo, Adams nor GOP nominee Curtis Sliwa have expressed any intention of dropping out of the race. Paterson backed Cuomo in the primary, but his support has waned after Cuomo's decisive loss to Mamdani in the June 24 primary. — Joe Anuta FROM CITY HALL GUILTY PLEA: A former Adams aide pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, admitting to organizing a fundraiser for the mayor at which he knew money would be raised by illegal straw donations. Bahi's plea in Manhattan federal court comes four months after Judge Dale Ho dismissed the related charges against Adams after Trump's Department of Justice sought to drop the case. Bahi said that an unnamed 'volunteer of the campaign' had told him Adams' political operation would raise money by straw donations at a December 2020 fundraiser with Uzbek-American business leader Tolib Mansurov and would then seek to match the contributions with public funds. It wasn't clear which volunteer Bahi was referring to, though Adams' indictment suggests it was Ahsan Chugtai, another man who was later hired by Adams' City Hall as a Muslim community liaison. Adams adviser Frank Carone did not respond when asked about it, saying the case has 'no connection at all or relevance' to the Adams campaign. Adams' lawyers have maintained that he was not aware of any of the numerous confirmed illegal contributions to his 2021 campaign. Bahi did not respond when reporters asked how he felt about pleading guilty when Adams got off. Turkish-American developer Erden Arkan also pleaded guilty to making straw donations in January, and his sentencing is scheduled for this Friday. Bahi was hired as a Muslim liaison in the Mayor's Community Affairs Unit after Adams won. He resigned last October, the day before he was arrested and charged with witness tampering and destruction of evidence. He's been in plea discussions with the government since at least February. Bahi agreed to pay $32,000 restitution, Ho said, and could face up to six months in prison and a $20,000 fine at sentencing, which is scheduled for 18. — Jeff Coltin AROUND NEW YORK — SPY-FI: The Adams administration is using its flagship broadband program to give police real-time access to NYCHA camera feeds — without telling anyone. (New York Focus) — AI, ESQ.: A Queens judge is fining a landlord's attorney for using fake, AI-generated court cases to support his argument. (Hell Gate) — TEAM ZOHRAN: Mamdani is growing his inner circle, a group of trusted advisers that lean younger and farther left than that of his rivals. (New York Times) Missed this morning's New York Playbook? We forgive you. Read it here.
