Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) set up Mamdani for the remark by stating that Mamdani has been a “divisive force in New York” and a “toxic energy for New York.”
“It’s with the Jewish community. It’s with the Italian-American community when you give the Columbus statue the finger. It’s with the Sunni Muslims when you say ‘decriminalize prostitution,’ which is haram. It’s the Hindus,” Cuomo said, calling out Mamdani for taking a picture with Ugandan official Rebecca Kadaga, who has pushed what has been described as “anti-LGBT policies.”
“She’s known as Rebecca gay killer Kadaga,” Cuomo said. “Question. You’re a citizen of Uganda. You took the picture. You said you didn’t know who she was. It turns out you did. How do you not renounce your citizenship or demand BDS against Uganda for imprisoning people who are gay just by their sexual orientation? Isn’t that a basic violation of human rights?”
Mamdani maintained that his politics are “consistent” and “built on a belief in human rights for all people.”
“And that extends to queer and trans New Yorkers and it extends to queer and trans Ugandans,” Mamdani said. “And had I known that the first deputy minister was the architect of that legislation, I would not have taken that photo.”
“And yet I also know that this constant attempt to smear and slander me is an attempt to also distract from the fact that unlike myself, you do not actually have a platform or a set of policies to protect those same New Yorkers here,” Mamdani said to Cuomo. “All you have are the insults that you have lobbed at every single opportunity you have.”
WATCH:
Mamdani has attempted to weave in LGBT rights into his platform and actually wrote in 2020, “Queer liberation means defund the police.”
The election for New York City mayor takes place November 4, 2025.
Breitbart News
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