New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani faced scrutiny on Thursday over a video filmed outside a billionaire’s home that was called “creepy and weird” as well as an attack on success.
“New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani has been scrambling to come up with money to fund a major expansion of city government, and he has put the politics of envy at the center of his effort. This is bound to be a fiscal failure, but it’s already a moral one,” The Washington Post editorial board wrote.
Billionaire Ken Griffin — founder and CEO of Citadel, a hedge fund investment firm — described Mamdani’s video targeting him as “creepy and weird,” and said Tuesday that New York City did not welcome success.
CHICAGO KNOWS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN KEN GRIFFIN TURNS ON A CITY, NOW MAMDANI MAY FIND OUT
“The mayor didn’t accuse Griffin of violating any laws or even dodging taxes,” the Post wrote, noting Griffin’s reaction. “His only crime was owning a nice penthouse — that is, being a successful person. It was also unethical.”
Mamdani has said he wants “all New Yorkers to succeed,” including Griffin, who the mayor noted was a major employer in the city.
However, he doubled down on his argument about the tax system. He said, “It rewards extreme wealth while working people are pushed to the brink.”
The Post noted reporting from Reuters that said Griffin’s company said its “principals and team members have paid nearly $2.3 billion in city and state taxes over the past five years.”
The Post also noted numerous donations Griffin has made to science, culture and education pursuits in the city.
“Philanthropy is a minor contribution compared with what his capitalist pursuits have done,” the Post wrote. “In pursuit of profit, he has generated wealth for countless people and contributed more in taxes than socialist demagogues ever will,”
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“Political leaders are role models for young people. In New York, the most prominent politician is sending a message to them: Resent success rather than trying to emulate it. This isn’t a new political tactic, and it’s never ended well,” the Post wrote.
Others also took issue with Mamdani’s sentiment.
Author Daniel Friedman wrote, “Mamdani’s ‘tax the rich’ agenda is based on the belief that Democratic Socialists can do whatever they want to the rich and the rich will stay and tolerate it because NYC is irreplaceable. Mamdani is wrong.”
Former Mayor Eric Adams posted twice to X on the matter, calling Mamdani’s video irresponsible.
“Mayor Mamdani’s video targeting Ken Griffin and using his home as a prop traded thousands of real, good-paying jobs in our city for social media likes,” he said. “The video was irresponsible, and the Mayor should do the right thing and apologize.”
In an “update” post, Adams noted that he communicated with Griffin.
“I communicated with Ken earlier, and I expressed my dismay over the Mayor targeting his family outside their private residence. I also asked him to reconsider his decision to withdraw from New York City. The goal now must be to stop the narrative that New Yorkers who worked hard to achieve the American Dream are somehow the enemy,” he wrote.
Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani’s office but did not immediately receive a response.
