Zohran Mamdani, a radical socialist NYC mayoral candidate advocating for policies like free childcare and arresting Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, is receiving substantial financial backing from Columbia University professors who defended Hamas’s October 7 attacks.
Key Takeaways
- Columbia University professors who signed a letter defending Hamas have donated thousands to Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral campaign, revealing a concerning intersection of academia and local politics.
- Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist endorsed by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, has advocated for arresting Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and refuses to disavow the “globalize the intifada” slogan.
- The candidate’s platform includes socialist policies like free childcare, free buses, and a rent freeze, which critics argue are financially unfeasible.
- Mamdani does not support Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state and openly supports the BDS movement, positions that may alienate Jewish voters in New York City.
- His campaign has received significant financial support from his father, Mahmood Mamdani, a Columbia professor who has publicly advocated for Palestinian violence.
Columbia Professors Financing Anti-Israel Mayoral Candidate
Multiple Columbia University faculty members who signed a controversial letter defending Hamas after the October 7 attacks have emerged as financial backers of Zohran Mamdani’s New York City mayoral campaign. These professors have contributed thousands of dollars to support a candidate who has been criticized by the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum for his inflammatory statements and refusal to disavow the “globalize the intifada” slogan. Mamdani has taken extreme positions on Israel, including supporting the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement and publicly stating he does not believe Israel has a right to exist as a Jewish state.
Among the Columbia faculty donating to Mamdani’s campaign are Katherine Franke, Lila Abu-Lughod, Reinhold Martin, James Schamus, Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, and his father, Mahmood Mamdani. These academics have not only provided financial support but have also used their positions of influence to advance anti-Israel rhetoric on campus. Notably, Katherine Franke retired from Columbia amid an investigation and has participated in pro-Hamas demonstrations, while Lila Abu-Lughod has advocated for academic boycotts against Israel and worked to radicalize academic associations against the Jewish state.
Socialist Platform and Political Endorsements
Mamdani’s campaign has gained momentum with an endorsement from U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who praised his coalition-building abilities. “He has demonstrated a real ability on the ground to put together a coalition of working-class New Yorkers that is strongest to lead the pack,” said Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, highlighting Mamdani’s grassroots appeal in certain progressive circles. Despite being relatively unknown to many New Yorkers, Mamdani has proposed a series of radical socialist policies, including free childcare, free buses, a rent freeze, and higher taxes on wealthy residents.
“He’s been in government 27 minutes. He’s passed three bills. That’s all he’s done,” said Andrew Cuomo, former governor and rival mayoral candidate, criticizing Mamdani’s limited political experience and legislative accomplishments. Cuomo, who maintains significant union support despite past scandals, has dismissed Mamdani as someone who “produces nothing.” The criticism points to legitimate concerns about Mamdani’s ability to implement his ambitious and costly proposals, many of which would require state-level approval and significant financial resources.
Radical Family Connections and Anti-Israel Positions
Particularly concerning is the role of Mahmood Mamdani, Zohran’s father and a Columbia University professor, who has made substantial financial contributions to his son’s campaign. The elder Mamdani has publicly advocated for Palestinian violence and is among the signatories of the letter defending Hamas after the October 7 attacks. This direct family connection represents a troubling pipeline from radical academia directly into New York City’s political landscape. Other faculty donors, including Reinhold Martin, have attempted to whitewash campus anti-Israel activism, describing the Columbia encampments as peaceful environments despite documented instances of harassment and antisemitism.
Mamdani’s extreme positions on Israel, including his vow to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he were to visit New York City as mayor, reveal a concerning ideological alignment with his academic supporters. His campaign has attracted significant criticism for these statements, which many view as pandering to anti-Israel sentiment rather than focusing on the immediate needs of New York City residents. Political analysts note that while these positions might energize his young, progressive base, they could seriously hamper his ability to appeal to moderate voters necessary for electoral victory, particularly in a city with a significant Jewish population.
