Former New York governor Andrew Cuomo has gone full scorched earth in his independent bid for New York City mayor by publicly demanding that Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani relinquish his rent-controlled apartment.
Cuomo hit Mamdani where it hurts most: his privileged lifestyle amid a dire housing crisis.
Cuomo accused Mamdani and his wife of being “very rich,” pointing out their extravagant wedding celebrations across three continents, all while paying a mere $2,300 a month in rent. He hammered home the economic hypocrisy by asserting their combined income likely tops $200,000 annually, an outrage in a city where a single mother somewhere probably spent the night in a homeless shelter because Mamdani is occupying a rent-controlled unit she might otherwise have.
“You grew up rich and married an even wealthier woman,” Cuomo wrote in a post on X. “You’ve had weddings on 3 continents. You own property in LGTBQIA+ murderous Uganda. You make $142,000 a year plus stipends, and your wife works too, meaning you together likely make well over $200,000. No matter which way you cut it: Zohran Mamdani is a rich person.”
“Yet you and your wife pay $2,300 a month, as you have bragged, for a nice apartment in Astoria,” Cuomo continued. “That should be housing for someone who needs it.”
Cuomo’s post continued:
We are in the middle of a historic affordability crisis. Millions of low income New Yorkers need this apartment and an apartment like it. Yet your apartment remains rented to rich people who don’t need it.
Today, I am calling on you to move out immediately and give your affordable housing back to an unhoused family who need it. Leaders must show moral clarity. Time to move out.
Mamdani acknowledged in a February interview that he does live in rent-stabilized housing but insisted that his situation is temporary. He explained to the New York Editorial Board that he found the apartment through StreetEasy while earning $47,000 as a housing counselor and doesn’t plan to remain there indefinitely. His campaign lashed back at Cuomo’s attacks by likening them to Donald Trump’s style, “ranting to reporters, firing off unhinged social media posts.” It mockingly noted that “the only thing missing is a red hat.”
This skirmish reveals the contradictions within the socialist rhetoric Mamdani represents. His rent-controlled status is a textbook example of how socialist policies are often gamed by the privileged elite. While claiming to fight for the underdog, Mamdani benefits from a system that leaves many others out in the cold. Cuomo’s charge isn’t just about housing; it’s about exposing the double standard of moral posturing used to shield well-off insiders while everyday New Yorkers suffer the consequences.
In a city where thousands struggle just to keep a roof over their heads, Cuomo’s challenge to Mamdani rips the mask off the socialist façade. These self-styled champions of “the people” talk endlessly about fairness and equality, yet somehow they always seem to come out on top, living comfortably. At the same time, the working class they claim to represent is marginalized.
This isn’t just about one assemblyman’s apartment; it’s a glaring example of how New York’s socialist political class preaches sacrifice for others while protecting its own perks. The real question is whether Mamdani will actually put his money where his mouth is, or keep proving that for socialists, the rhetoric of “for the people” ends the moment it threatens their own lifestyle.
The socialist mask slips when privileged politicians hoard rent-controlled apartments as others go homeless. Cuomo’s bold call to Zohran Mamdani is the kind of truth you won’t hear from the mainstream press. Join PJ Media VIP and use the promo code FIGHT for 60% off to unlock exclusive content and ad-free browsing. Fight back against hypocrisy — join now and be part of the movement.