Cuomo team claims Mamdani college application issue is merely the ‘beginning’ and may conceal ‘deception’

Controversy Surrounds Zoran Mamdani’s University Application

On Friday, the camp of former Governor Andrew Cuomo highlighted an interesting claim regarding Mayor Zoran Mamdani’s university application. They suggested that marking himself as black could be just the “tip of the iceberg” regarding potential “fraud.”

Mamdani, a self-proclaimed socialist, had indicated both “black or African American” and “Asian” on his 2009 application to Columbia University. Notably, Mamdani’s parents are Asian Indian, and he has, in the past, expressed views on identifying as black or African American.

“It’s not entirely unexpected given that Mamdani’s proposals and background haven’t really faced much scrutiny from the press,” remarked Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopaldi, calling attention to the application linked to the leading mayoral candidate.

“This matter needs a thorough investigation, as it could indicate a deeper issue,” Azzopaldi noted.

Mamdani, who was born in Uganda, stated he didn’t choose certain racial identifiers on his application purely to gain an advantage; rather, he felt the options available didn’t fully reflect his racial background.

His application ultimately faced rejection. “Most forms don’t include options for being Ugandan or Indian, so I marked multiple boxes to represent my diverse background,” he explained from Astoria, Queens.

“I wanted my application to really showcase who I am,” added Mamdani, identifying himself as an “American born in Africa.”

Cuomo and Mamdani have been leading contenders in the Democratic mayoral primary, with Cuomo consistently ahead in polling. Despite the recent turbulence, Cuomo managed to secure a significant victory in the city’s ranked-choice poll, garnering 56% of the votes compared to Mamdani’s 44%.

However, Cuomo has notably performed well among black voters—a demographic where Mamdani has struggled to make significant inroads.

In precincts with a black population of at least 70%, Cuomo received 56% of the vote, while Mamdani could only muster about 26%. Detailed voter data is set to be available on July 15th.