Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo launched a sharp political attack on Democratic socialist mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, accusing him of falsely claiming victimhood and of offending multiple New York communities. During a speech where he received endorsements from faith leaders, Cuomo described Mamdani as his main opponent, saying the candidate had alienated Jews, Blacks, Italians, LGBTQ individuals, and even some Muslims during his campaign.
Cuomo’s criticism was centered on Mamdani’s stance on the phrase ‘globalize the intifada,’ which he says calls for violence against Jewish people. The former governor also criticized Mamdani’s position on decriminalizing prostitution, citing the Quran’s stance that prostitution is forbidden. Additionally, he raised concerns over Mamdani’s association with Hasan Piker, who made controversial remarks about 9/11.
Cuomo emphasized that Mamdani’s actions have caused widespread offense, stating, ‘He is not a victim, he is the offender.’ The former governor highlighted the broader impact of Mamdani’s campaign, claiming it has hurt various groups across New York City.
Cuomo first addressed the Jewish community, saying that Mamdani had hurt them ‘in a truly painful way.’ He recounted a recent interaction with a Jewish New Yorker who said he was afraid of wearing a Star of David in the city. In 2023, the UJA-Federation of New York reported that there were just over 1.3 million Jews living in New York City.
The former governor took issue with Mamdani’s refusal to condemn the phrase ‘globalize the intifada,’ which many see as a call for violence against Jewish people. Mamdani has faced criticism for his refusal to condemn the phrase early in the mayoral race.
Cuomo also said his opponent hurt the Sunni Muslim community by advocating for the decriminalization of prostitution. He added that according to the Quran, prostitution is haram, which means ‘forbidden’ in Arabic.
After condemning Mamdani’s gesture toward the Columbus statue and invoking its offense to Italian-Americans, Cuomo broadened his criticism. He pointed to a photo of Mamdani with a Ugandan official who backs harsh anti-gay laws, framing it as an affront to the LGBTQ community.
He didn’t stop there — Mamdani’s friendship with controversial Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, who once said ‘America deserved 9/11,’ also drew scrutiny from the former governor.