Zohran Mamdani is standing by his sharp criticism of AIPAC even as prominent Jewish leaders accuse him of crossing a line into antisemitism. The New York City mayor said he was targeting an organization that helps preserve a political status quo he sees as harmful, not speaking about Jews.
At a press conference at City Hall, Mamdani said AIPAC has been “supportive of the status quo” and has fought efforts to “deliver safety to people,” including in Palestine and across the region. He said the group often defends that status quo through direct political contributions in New York.
Why The Backlash Grew
The criticism intensified after Mamdani denounced what he called “monsters” at a rally for progressive challengers he has endorsed. He used the term for those funding television ads he described as misleading attacks against his candidates, then singled out AIPAC for spending millions to support pro-Israel candidates in congressional primaries.
According to Federal Election Commission filings, AIPAC’s super PAC, United Democracy Project, made two political contributions last month totaling more than $600,000 to BOLD America. That group has been funding ads supporting Rep. Adriano Espaillat, who is being challenged by Darializa Avila Chevalier in New York’s 13th District.
After Mamdani’s remarks, leaders of the Anti-Defamation League and the American Jewish Committee condemned his language. They said he used antisemitic tropes and warned that the mayor of the city with the largest Jewish population outside Israel should be especially careful with such rhetoric.
Ted Deutch, the AJC’s CEO, said on X that “referring to fellow New Yorkers as ‘monsters’ is outrageous and dangerous, and the impact of your words extends far beyond politics.” New Jersey Rep. Josh Gottheimer also said on X that swapping “AIPAC” for “Jews” would mirror an old antisemitic conspiracy theory.
Mamdani’s Defense
Mamdani rejected the accusation on Monday, pointing to the death toll in Gaza even under a fragile U.S.-brokered ceasefire. The Palestinian Ministry of Health says Israeli strikes have killed more than 1,000 people in Gaza since the ceasefire began in mid-October.
He said it is important to name those who allow such destruction to continue overseas. When pressed on his use of “monsters,” Mamdani said he was quoting Antonio Gramsci and using the term broadly to describe super PAC spending that he says distorts New York races.
“I used the term to describe all those who are preventing the birth of a new world,” he said, adding that the phrase was not aimed only at AIPAC but at super PACs more generally.
The New York Race At The Center
The dispute is unfolding alongside a string of New York contests shaped by AIPAC-backed spending and criticism of candidates’ Israel positions. Mamdani said the same kind of advertising is being used against Brad Lander and Claire Valdez, in addition to the race involving Avila Chevalier.
Lander has made Rep. Dan Goldman’s past support from AIPAC part of his campaign, while Goldman had declined to endorse Mamdani in the mayoral race because of concerns about Mamdani’s stance on antisemitism. Avila Chevalier has also faced criticism for attending a pro-Palestinian rally the day after Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
That rally drew widespread condemnation, and Lander said earlier this month that he ended his membership with the Democratic Socialists of America because of its promotion. Avila Chevalier said at a debate that she would never celebrate the death of any human being and that she attended the rally because she feared an outsize military reaction would lead to mass deaths in Gaza.
CNN has reached out to AIPAC for comment.