Former Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa did not mince words when asked for his thoughts about calls for New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani not to attend a ceremony honoring the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terror attacks.
Republicans have previously faced criticism for suggesting that Mamdani would have put New York City in even more danger during the terror attacks of September 11, 2001, by siding with the attackers, who were Muslim. Mamdani has spoken publicly about receiving hate messages, including ones declaring, “the only good Muslim is a dead Muslim.”
Far-right critics also argue the city has “forgotten” the 9/11 attacks because Mamdani’s election occurred less than 25 years after the tragedy, particularly after the Trump administration's war in Iran stoked fears of retaliation on U.S. soil.
Some families of the victims have echoed this rhetoric in an exclusive report from the New York Post last month, saying that they wanted to ban Mamdani from attending ceremonies on the 25th anniversary of the attacks. One man quoted in the report claimed Mamdani failed to “meaningfully acknowledge the horror of that day.”
Giovanni Galante, the husband of 9/11 victim Grace Catherine Galante, joined others in organizing a Change.org petition to keep Mamdani from attending ceremonies that has received more than 86,000 signatures.
When asked about this effort, Sliwa called it "ridiculous":
"Ridiculous. He’s the mayor. Stop being sore losers! You knew this is Zohran Mamdani. He was never a fake, phony, fraudulent, fugazi like a lot of politicians. He told you who he was."
"Once he got elected, you should have known he was going to be there at 9/11. Now, if you choose to turn your back on him, I don’t want to ever tell family members what they should be doing on this holiday — not holiday, but this solemn occasion — that’s your choice."
"But I believe you respect the office. He’s the mayor. He’s representing the city."
You can hear what he said in the video below.
Others concurred.
Sliwa also took aim at conservative radio host Sid Rosenberg, who claimed in an interview with former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo that Mamdani would cheer for the terrorists if 9/11 happened while he was in office.
Cuomo, who waged an unsuccessful mayoral campaign against Mamdani, agreed, urging listeners to consider "If Mamdani was in the seat on 9/11, what would have happened to this city?”
Responding to pushback, Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi claimed Cuomo had been referring to Mamdani’s refusal to denounce left-wing commentator Hasan Piker, who once claimed America “deserved 9/11.” Cuomo did not mention Piker during that part of his exchange with Rosenberg, however, and Mamdani has publicly called Piker’s comments “objectionable and reprehensible.”
Sliwa said Cuomo "was gaining traction" last year "and then he made that stupid remark and then didn’t handle it well." He said Mamdani "exploited the hell out of it, as he should" because Cuomo's remark "was Islamophobic."
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