Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) has issued a stark warning that New York City could face a catastrophic collapse if Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, a self-described socialist, gains executive power. In an exclusive interview, Lawler described Mamdani’s platform as “Marxist to its core” and said his radical agenda would drive away businesses, defund law enforcement, and jeopardize national security.
Mamdani’s proposals include a $9 billion tax hike, eliminating private property, and abolishing billionaires. Lawler warned these policies would spark a mass exodus from the city, crippling New York’s economy and destabilizing the entire country.
He further cautioned that Mamdani’s pledge to defund the NYPD and eliminate its gang database would put New Yorkers at greater risk, weakening the city’s ability to coordinate with federal law enforcement in combating terrorism and violent crime.
Of deeper concern to Lawler are Mamdani’s extremist associations. He pointed to ties with Imam Siraj Wahhaj, named as an unindicted co-conspirator in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, and recent fundraising for UNRWA, the U.N. agency defunded by Congress after its ties to the October 7 Hamas attack. Lawler also highlighted Mamdani’s refusal to condemn pro-Hamas rhetoric, such as calls to “globalize the intifada,” and his statement that he would arrest Israel’s prime minister during a U.N. visit.
Lawler warned Mamdani’s election could make him a national figure and accelerate the rise of far-left candidates across the country. He blamed Democratic leadership, including Hakeem Jeffries, for empowering radicals out of political self-preservation.
Echoing Lawler’s concerns, GOP Chairwoman Elise Stefanik labeled Jeffries’ endorsement of “Commie Mamdani” as emblematic of the Democratic Party’s far-left shift. Chuck Schumer has so far withheld support.
With voters heading to the polls Tuesday, Lawler said the city’s future hangs in the balance.
