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NYC Mayor-Elect's Victory Draws Praise from Political Network, Concern from Police

2025-11-13

The BareStory

The recent election of Zohran Mamdani as New York City’s next mayor has prompted praise from a network of political groups that supported his campaign and expressions of concern from members of the New York City Police Department.

A network affiliated with the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has taken credit for the victory. Nihad Awad, CAIR’s executive director, announced an expansion of the group's political operations in late 2023; one summary states Awad previously said he was "happy to see" the October 7 attack. Activist Linda Sarsour claimed Mamdani's win was the result of mobilization by CAIR Action, the group's political arm, and the affiliated Unity & Justice Fund super PAC. According to campaign finance disclosures, the PAC spent $143,500 supporting Mamdani.

In contrast, multiple NYPD officers have stated that hundreds of their colleagues are preparing to leave the force. A 20-year veteran of the department claimed, citing union delegates, that “a few hundred” officers are expected to resign before Mamdani is inaugurated. Another officer described the election as the "last straw," stating that police are now more afraid of politics than street-level dangers. Mamdani did not provide a comment regarding the officers' reactions.

Officers' concerns reportedly relate to Mamdani's past statements about defunding the NYPD and his proposed policies. These include establishing a $600 million Department of Community Safety to handle certain incidents and granting the Civilian Complaint Review Board final authority on police discipline. In a statement, CAIR noted that its 501(c)(3) charity arm cannot legally support or oppose candidates or fund political action committees.

Left Perspective

  • The victory is hailed as the result of successful political mobilization.
  • The campaign was backed by significant financial support from an affiliated PAC.
  • The win is seen as part of a broader expansion of the network's political influence.

Right Perspective

  • A significant number of officers are reportedly preparing to leave the force.
  • Officers are concerned about the mayor-elect's proposed policy changes.
  • The political climate is described as a greater threat than street-level dangers.

How it may affect me

As a U.S. reader:

• A potential reduction in police officer numbers in New York City could affect public safety and emergency response times, as hundreds may resign.

• Public safety policy may shift, with a new $600M department handling some incidents and a civilian board gaining final authority on police discipline.

• The use of a Super PAC and affiliated political network to win an election could serve as a model, potentially influencing future local and national campaigns.

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