New York City Mayor Elect Zohran Mamdani speaking at a press conference at Hunter College in New York City. (Photo by Michael Brochstein/Sipa USA)(Sipa via AP Images)
New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani ignited a firestorm on the right this week after a report dropped that he is endorsing Palestinian-American activist Aber Kawas for a state Assembly seat in Queens.
The endorsement was scooped by the NY Daily News, which reported it was “conveyed during a closed-door Democratic Socialists of America meeting last Wednesday” and “marks the first time the incoming mayor has put his thumb on the scale in a local race since his own Nov. 4 election win.”
Kawas quickly received an avalanche of criticism as a clip of her suggesting that the 9/11 terrorist attacks were a “manifestation” of America’s historic wrongs.
“The system of capitalism and racism and white supremacy et cetera – and Islamophobia – have all been used to colonize lands, to take resources from other people and so this is a long trajectory and were just seeing the manifestations of that continuation with 9/11,” Kawas said in a clip first shared by social media influencer Drew Pavlou.
“The idea we have to apologize for a terror attack that a couple of people did and then there is no apology or reparations for genocides and for slavery, et cetera – is something I find reprehensible,” she added.
Pro-Trump activist Greg Price also shared the clip this week, which led to a bevy of reactions on the right. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) shared it and commented, “This is today’s Democrat party.”
Conservative radio host Erick Erickson added, “The rightwing progressives talk about ‘post-war liberal consensus.’ Basically, the American-hating left does the same thing.”
Writer Rod Dreher reacted by posting, “Zohran is going to be the gift that keeps on giving for the GOP. And Fuentes, for the Democrats.”
Some on the left also weighed in. “Aber Kawas doesn’t belong in the New York State Legislature. Folks like her need to be purged from the Democratic Party, not elevated. This is our John Birch Society moment,” wrote commentator Russell Drew.
Below are some more reactions:
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The post Mamdani Ignites a Firestorm of Criticism On the Right With First Endorsement: ‘Gift That Keeps On Giving’ first appeared on Mediaite.
