Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo mentioned Tuesday that a few of his extra left-leaning mayoral race rivals have aligned themselves with “forces of antisemitism,” an accusation that sparked speedy and powerful pushback.
Cuomo leveled the broadside at his opponents throughout a night speech on the West Aspect Institutional Synagogue in Manhattan. His targets included Metropolis Comptroller Brad Lander, who’s Jewish.
A good portion of Cumo’s remarks had been devoted to the Democratic Socialists of America, a left-wing group he argued are a part of the “forces of antisemitism and pro-Palestinian policies” stoking hate towards Jews in New York Metropolis amid the Israel-Hamas conflict.
“Incredibly, many major New York City politicians are their disciples,” mentioned Cuomo, who isn’t Jewish and resigned as governor in 2021 amid sexual misconduct accusations he denies. Cuomo then turned his consideration to a few of his opponents within the June 24 Democratic mayoral main.
Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks on the West Aspect Institutional Synagogue on April 1, 2025, in New York Metropolis. Cuomo, who’s at the moment main within the polls within the New York Metropolis mayoral race, delivered a chat on anti-Semitism in New York Metropolis. (Picture by Spencer Platt/Getty Photographs)
Cuomo, who’s polling because the front-runner within the mayoral race, first lumped in Metropolis Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, who isn’t a DSA member and broadly seen as a political average, with the lefty group, faulting her for being “the first speaker in the history of New York to fail to visit Israel.”
Lander, who’s not a DSA member, both, and one of many solely Jewish candidates within the race, can also be serving to advance DSA’s purportedly antisemitic agenda, Cuomo claimed, pointing to the comptroller’s determination to drag some New York Metropolis pension fund investments out of Israeli authorities bonds amid its army marketing campaign in Gaza.
Lastly, he took goal at Queens Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, a DSA member who has just lately climbed within the mayoral race polls as he courts important assist from youthful voters.
“The DSA charter calls for the end of American aid to Israel and does not recognize the existence of the State of Israel,” Cuomo mentioned. “Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, a DSA devotee, proposed a bill that would revoke the not-for-profit designation of any organization that aided Israel.”
“Remember this is happening here,” the ex-gov continued. “These are New York City officials who are aiding and supporting the most aggressive anti-Israel policies. We cannot allow this political movement to continue unopposed.”
The campaigns for the three mayoral candidates Cuomo focused swiftly pushed again.
“Andrew Cuomo does not care about antisemitism,” Mamdani mentioned in a press release. “Andrew Cuomo cares about one thing and one thing only: himself. And he’s willing to weaponize any issue, lie about any person, or take advantage of any vulnerable group if he deems it politically convenient.”
Lander marketing campaign spokeswoman Dora Pekec linked Cuomo’s rhetoric along with his “disgusting history of exploiting Jewish suffering for his political gain.”
Cuomo’s reference to Adrienne Adams appeared associated to her determination in 2022 to not go along with another Council members on a visit to Israel sponsored by the Jewish Neighborhood Relations Council of New York.
Lupe Todd-Medina, a rep for the speaker’s mayoral marketing campaign, referred to as it “rich” for Cuomo to reference that journey, on condition that he launched a pro-Israel group final yr that fell quick on a number of guarantees for motion.
“Meanwhile, Adrienne secured millions in real funding to fight anti-Semitism in New York City,” Todd-Medina mentioned. “Division and name-calling might be Andrew Cuomo’s way, but they won’t solve a single New Yorker’s problem. No drama, no scandal — just competence and integrity, that’s how Adrienne leads, and that’s what New York City needs.”
