Mayor Zoran Mamdani is under fire for using taxpayer-funded housing to shoot a campaign video for a candidate in New York’s contentious congressional race, prompting accusations of potential conflict of interest violations.
A clip shared on social media on Thursday shows the mayor touring the Gracie residence alongside David Hogg, a Parkland shooting survivor.
Together, they asked for donations for Claire Valdez, a Democratic Socialists of America representative who is competing for New York’s 7th Congressional District seat.
Councilman Phil Wong’s office indicated plans to file a complaint with the city’s Conflicts of Interest Commission about the video.
One Democratic operative described the situation as “ugly,” but expressed uncertainty regarding whether it crossed legal boundaries.
“If Eric Adams had done this, it would have caused a major uproar,” the source remarked.
An ex-staffer for the former mayor criticized the video, labeling it as “typical DSA nonsense.”
“The rules seem to apply selectively,” said Menashe Shapiro. “He’s turning city government into a DSA propaganda machine.”
In a similar context, last year, Councilwoman Joanne Arriola faced scrutiny from the COIB for using City Council letterhead to fundraise for then-Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa.
Arriola expressed frustration, stating, “He was accused of misusing the city council seal for a political statement, yet this guy films campaign material in Gracie Mansion and there’s hardly a response.”
She added, “It seems like the old saying ‘rules are for you, not me’ still holds true. What does the COIB have to say about this?”
Attempts to reach City Hall and Valdez’s campaign for comment went unanswered.
