Former Democratic Party advisor Dan Turrentine criticized NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani after a 2020 podcast resurfaced in which Mamdani alleged the NYPD “punishes poor Black and Brown people.” Turrentine, appearing on The Morning Meeting, called the comments “enraging” and said he was “almost speechless.” He urged fellow Democrats to publicly denounce the rhetoric, stressing that police officers put themselves in harm’s way in dangerous environments like city subways.
Co-host and former Trump aide Sean Spicer dismissed Mamdani’s suggestion that social workers—not police—should handle domestic violence calls, calling it “common‑sense” to prefer protection over emotional support in emergencies.
Turrentine warned that Manhattan crime could worsen if the Democratic Party fails to back law enforcement. He credited recent gains in public safety to NYPD efforts and said New Yorkers rely on the police to keep families and children safe.
