By Elizabeth Kim\Gothamist
Photos: Video Screenshots
Left-leaning candidates for New York City mayor piled on frontrunner Andrew Cuomo Wednesday in the first debate of the Democratic primary, criticizing the former governor as unfit to lead the country’s largest city.
In a cascade of attacks, Cuomo’s rivals argued he failed New Yorkers through budget cuts to healthcare, his handling of the COVID-19 crisis and his alleged sexual harassment of women.
Zohran Mamdani, the progressive Queens assemblymember who is polling in second place, wasted little time accusing Cuomo of being beholden to moneyed interests with ties to President Donald Trump.
“The difference between myself and Andrew Cuomo is that my campaign is not funded by the very billionaires who put Donald Trump in D.C.,” Mamdani said, highlighting a pro-Cuomo super PAC that has raised $10 million.
The city’s Campaign Finance Board has withheld more than $1 million from Cuomo’s campaign over suspected illegal coordination with the super PAC, Fix the City.
The debate, which was co-hosted by WNBC, Telemundo and Politico, was the first time Cuomo had appeared on a stage with his rivals. With so many candidates, the debate became chaotic at times, with candidates talking over each other and moderators struggling to maintain order.
The other participants were City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, former Bronx Assemblymember Michael Blake, City Comptroller Brad Lander, Brooklyn state Sen. Zellnor Myrie, Queens state Sen. Jessica Ramos, former City Comptroller Scott Stringer and former hedge fund manager Whitney Tilson. READ MORE…
