Queenspol, with the backing of New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani and the Democratic Socialist Party of America, is making headlines as he campaigns for Congress. He’s been vocal about his disdain for billionaires and the AI sector, yet, somewhat paradoxically, he seems to be gathering funds from the very same sources.
Democratic state Rep. Claire Valdez, aiming to fill the seat of retiring U.S. Rep. Nydia Velasquez, accepted a $7,000 contribution in January from billionaire AI investor Tom Preston Warner and his wife, Teresa. This is documented in official donations records.
At just 36 years old, Valdez has also secured more than $1,850 from employees at AI firms. So far, her campaign has raised about $751,680 as of March’s end, highlighting strong backing from political action committees that have received significant funds from wealthy individuals in the tech industry.
Despite her growing war chest, Valdez has made a point to criticize the wealthy, claiming to reject donations from anyone connected to the AI industry. This has raised eyebrows among some who see her claims as contradictory.
“AI, fossil fuels, and private utilities,” Valdez stated on social media, emphasizing her view that the same elites causing financial strain are also harming the planet. Her message suggests that solving these issues requires tackling both problems simultaneously.
However, there’s been pushback from seasoned Democratic operatives. One anonymous consultant was quite blunt, labeling Valdez as hypocritical for simultaneously condemning billionaires while accepting their financial support.
“One moment she’s attacking billionaires and Big Tech, and the next, she’s pocketing their campaign cash. She criticizes dark money but then turns around and seeks it out. It seems she fits right in with the political landscape she claims to oppose,” the consultant remarked.
Valdez’s perceived inconsistency doesn’t stop at tech funding. She has been a strong advocate for abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), pledging on her website to halt “commercial detention and deportation” by eliminating federal contracts connected to businesses profiting from immigration detention.
However, records indicate she has also received about $3,250 from employees of ICE contractors, including $1,000 from researchers at Magnet Forensics—known for their contract to provide phone-hacking technology to ICE.
Moreover, another $250 came from Kyle Cushing, a software developer linked to General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, a company involved in producing surveillance drones utilized by ICE.
Interestingly, Valdez’s father is employed by a firm that works on strengthening the Texas border. There have been assertions claiming that he is not linked to the activities cited in various reports, though the connection raises further questions.
Her representative defended her campaign style, stating that Valdez’s grassroots support is substantial. “Over 20,000 individuals have contributed, averaging $50 each. That’s a larger base of small donors than the other candidates combined,” he argued, asserting the absence of corporate PACs or real estate influence on her funding.
Valdez finds herself in a competitive race as she seeks to capture the Democratic nomination in New York’s 7th Congressional District, which encompasses parts of Queens and Brooklyn. The area has garnered the nickname “Commie Corridor” due to its concentration of left-leaning voters.
The support landscape is layered; while Valdez counts on Mamdani and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) for backing, longstanding incumbent Velasquez is aligned with Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso and the Working Families Party.
