How Zohran Mamdani’s politics of personal – Latest News
Zohran Mamdani introduced a shock visitor to the ultimate New York City mayoral debate final week — and the selection was a revealing one.
Midway by way of the candidates’ sparring, Mamdani identified a member of his entourage: Charlotte Bennett, one of the ladies who accused Andrew Cuomo of sexual impropriety in 2021, whose complaints finally led to Cuomo’s resignation as governor.
The political calculation was apparent.
Independent candidate and ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo participates within the second New York City mayoral debate at LaGuardia Performing Arts Center at LaGuardia Community College in Long Island City, Queens, New York. POOL/AFP through Getty Images
Mamdani undoubtedly noticed the second as a devastating kill shot in opposition to Cuomo, reminding voters why he was compelled ignominiously out of workplace whereas highlighting Mamdani’s own solidarity with ladies who’ve been “victimized” by highly effective male harassers.
But it was additionally a vivid show of the ruthless hardball ways that the seemingly cheery, healthful Mamdani has employed to rocket himself from back-bench obscurity to Gracie Mansion’s doorstep.
Mamdani denounced Cuomo for having the audacity to “legally go after” Bennett and different accusers, giving the impression that the ex-governor has been viciously hounding the victims of his unrepentant predation.
Few recollect it was truly Bennett who introduced legal motion in opposition to Cuomo, solely to unceremoniously drop her federal lawsuit in December 2024 along with her credibility in tatters.
As Mamdani instructed it from the controversy stage, Bennett stays the grievously wronged get together — merely as a result of Cuomo used the unusual legal course of to unearth mounds of proof disproving her allegations.
It was true sleazeball stuff on Mamdani’s half.
But it’s nothing new for him — and explains a lot in regards to the political profession he’s cultivated at warp velocity.
In March 2021, as a newly elected member of the state Assembly, Mamdani and his cohort of Democratic Socialist legislators had been among the many first Democrats to coordinate a joint public assertion demanding Cuomo’s impeachment for “sexual harassment.”
None of the allegations in opposition to the governor had been meaningfully investigated at that time, a lot much less corroborated.
For Mamdani, this was immaterial.
Here was an alternative to perform one thing his DSA caucus by no means might have performed electorally: Get rid of their nemesis Cuomo, the “centrist” they despised.
Democratic candidate Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani participates within the second New York City mayoral debate on the LaGuardia Performing Arts Center at LaGuardia Community College in Long Island City, Queens, New York. through REUTERS
Defeating him in a gubernatorial major would have been practically unattainable, given his years-long grip on New York’s Democratic Party machinery.
Progressive challengers like Cynthia Nixon hadn’t made a dent in his dominance.
What higher option to oust an older male Democrat than to fervently hype some “sexual harassment” claims?
In the heyday of #MeToo uproar, such ways had confirmed wildly efficient in opposition to legions of different liberal males.
And with Cuomo, they smelled blood.
Though Mamdani had no national profile on the time, he managed to wrangle appearances on CNN to demand justice for the “victims.”
Mamdani and his DSA cadre saved up the strain all through 2021 — relentlessly affirming solidarity with the ladies they now labeled “survivors” of Cuomo’s predatory conduct.
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The coinage was creepy, however some of their accounts verged on the absurd.
One was a purported “survivor” of illicit selfie-taking, who had proudly displayed on her desk an affectionate photograph of herself with Cuomo — till the accounts of Bennett & Co. made her determine the snapshot constituted sexual abuse.
Others prompt Cuomo victimized them through the use of such goofball terminology as “mingle mamas.”
In the following years, none of these ridiculous allegations have survived primary scrutiny.
But in equity to Mamdani, he’s not the one one who has strategically refused to look at any of the pesky particulars.
“I think when you have 13 women,” Curtis Sliwa instructed me after the primary mayoral debate, “who make these allegations about sexual harassment, to then suddenly dismiss them as being politically motivated? No, no.”
However it’s possible you’ll really feel about Andrew Cuomo personally or politically (I used to be by no means the most important fan), the putsch engineered in opposition to him couldn’t have been more quintessentially political.
He was badgered into authorizing an initial investigation by Attorney General Letitia James — now an enthusiastic Mamdani endorser — who swiftly proceeded to launch her own marketing campaign for governor, bragging that taking Cuomo out confirmed she was certified for the job.
Cuomo himself, it ought to be stated, has been extremely ham-fisted in addressing this subject.
He’s in an unattainable place: He should project the same old Democratic sensitivity to sexual harassment, whereas rejecting the veracity of allegations lodged in opposition to him.
All the whereas, understanding that the majority voters (and most journalists) won’t ever look at the small print in any depth.
Mamdani has deftly exploited that vulnerability — even having the temerity to insinuate some variety of parallel between Cuomo and Jeffrey Epstein.
If he does finish up crusing to victory on Tuesday, he’ll accomplish that powered by a years-long political hit job of aggressive duplicity — which there’s each motive to suppose would grow to be a recurring function of his mayoralty.
Michael Tracey is an unbiased journalist. Substack: mtracey.web
