A left-leaning union for professors at the City University of New York has been accused of improperly using government email resources to support the campaign of socialist mayoral candidate Zoran Mamdani.
Recently, leaders from the Professional Staff Council sent out mass emails using CUNY email addresses to rally faculty and staff at Manhattan Community College and Kingsborough Community College to volunteer for Mamdani.
“The general election is on November 4th. If you’re interested in participating, the Central Labor Council phone bank for Mamdani will take place every Wednesday from 6pm to 8pm at the PSC,” mathematics professor Kathleen Offenhoury wrote in an email to faculty on September 3rd.
That email also included a link to a page about signing up to make calls for the campaign, as well as encouragement to share information with students.
PSC Chairman James Davis noted in a message associated with the email that their strategy had made them one of the first unions to endorse Mamdani, highlighting his past victory over Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary.
He added that the support of various New York City unions makes it crucial for PSC members to help elect Mamdani in November.
According to city and state laws and CUNY regulations, using public resources, such as email accounts, for political campaigning is illegal, with potential misdemeanor charges and fines for violations.
On October 9, Offenhoury sent another email to members, reminding them of ongoing phone banks for Mamdani every Thursday and Friday, with a link for more information on how to support the campaign.
Michael Speer, a history professor and union vice president, also sent out a similar email on the same day, directing members on how to volunteer without directly mentioning Mamdani.
Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa criticized the use of taxpayer-funded email for political purposes, stating that educators should focus on students instead of campaigning.
Sliwa expressed concerns over New York City’s political climate, mentioning that such incidents highlight a deeper issue within the culture of the institutions.
City Councilman Robert Holden also weighed in, expressing his frustration over the use of official emails for politics and calling for a return to educational priorities.
The PSC, with around 30,000 members, has shown support for Mamdani, who shares a history of promoting far-left policies, including anti-Israel stances.
Earlier this year, the union faced backlash for a contested resolution backing a boycott of Israel, which they ultimately repealed amid allegations of unfair voting practices.
This year, the union has been accused of using anti-Semitic language in emails to promote anti-Israel events, a claim they have denied.
Neither Offenhoury, Speer, nor Mamdani’s representatives responded to requests for comments.
In defense of their actions, the PSC stated that their communications usually cover a wide range of topics, and sometimes members inadvertently use work emails to share information. They dismissed criticisms as attempts by “anti-union MAGA allies” to undermine union activities.
