Mamdani can’t argue for affordability while praising Lina Khan, according to a former RNC chair.

McDaniel Criticizes Mamdani Over Adviser Appointment

Ronna McDaniel, the former chair of the Republican National Committee, is calling out New York City’s mayor-elect, Zoran Mamdani, for what she describes as hypocrisy in his campaign for a more affordable city. Her criticism hinges on his selection of Lina Khan, a former Biden administration official, as his primary adviser.

McDaniel recently took on the role of leader for the Coalition for Competitiveness, a nonprofit advocating for free market principles. In a letter to Mamdani, she urged him to dismiss Khan, who served as the chair of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) during President Biden’s term. Mamdani appointed Khan to co-chair his transition team.

McDaniel suggested that if Mamdani genuinely wants to lower living costs in New York, he should reconsider having someone like Khan, whom she views as symbolic of inflationary policies linked to the previous administration. “Her history suggests a past that many voters, around 77 million, chose to reject during the last election,” McDaniel pointed out.

She also mentioned that Mamdani’s choice of Khan raises doubts about his commitment to reducing inflation and meeting the needs of New Yorkers. Khan is known for her strong stance against big businesses during her time at the FTC, which McDaniel argues has led to increased prices across the country due to her policies against entrepreneurship and innovation.

In her correspondence, McDaniel referenced feedback from the New York business community that indicated concerns about a possible revival of Khan’s regulatory approach. One significant instance she cited was Khan’s opposition to a merger involving Amazon and iRobot, which allegedly resulted in job losses for several employees after the company faced bankruptcy.

Moreover, McDaniel claimed that Khan’s interactions with international entities, including those linked to the Chinese Communist Party, could jeopardize America’s competitive edge. “I think we can agree that promoting foreign interests at the expense of American innovators doesn’t help our position globally,” she explained.

In a conversation with Fox News Digital, McDaniel expressed her worry that Mamdani’s policies, which include rent control and higher corporate taxes, might drive businesses out of the city. “Ultimately, places with lower taxes and fewer regulations are likely to attract those companies,” she stated.

She also mentioned that the complexities of socialism can mislead younger voters into thinking that such policies are beneficial, even when they might reinforce an inefficient system. “I think it’s crucial for people to see that overregulation can stifle job creation,” McDaniel noted.