House GOP civil war ignites over ‘ludicrous’ bill to defund NYC while Mamdani is mayor
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
SPECIAL: New York City’s only Republican member of Congress is criticizing an effort within his own party to block funding for the Big Apple over Zohran Mamdani’s victory in the mayoral race on Tuesday.
“These attempts by those within my party to score cheap political points by going after New York City will not be taken lightly. We will fight back,” Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-R.Y., told Fox News Digital on Friday.
“I’m the only Republican representing our city in Washington. My constituents did not vote for Zohran Mamdani, and there are also people in Washington who want to punish the entire city for the stupid decisions of a few people.”
His outrage comes in response to Rep. Buddy Carter, R-Ga., announcing plans for new legislation called the Keeping American Money Away from Anti-National Interests Act, or “MAMDANI Act” for short.
VAN JONES CALLED ZOHRAN MAMDANI FOR ‘CHARACTER CHANGE’ DURING INTENSE VICTORY SPEECH
Rep. Nicole Malliotakis is criticizing legislation by Republican Rep. Buddy Carter, right, to cut funding for New York City as long as Zohran Mamdani, center, is mayor. (Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images; Stephanie Keith/Getty Images; Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
The two-page bill text stated that “notwithstanding any other provision of the Act, during any period during which Zohran Mamdani is mayor of New York, New York,” “any unobligated Federal funds available to the city” are “hereby canceled” and that “no Federal funds shall be obligated or expended upon New York, New York for any purpose.”
Fox News Digital was told the day before that it was expected to be unveiled on Friday.
Calling out Carter by name, Malliotakis told Fox News Digital: “Congressman Buddy Carter’s attempts to cut off all funding for New York City are laughable and a slap in the face to this city’s hard-working taxpayers, half of whom did not even support Zohran Mamdani for mayor.”
He argued that New York City pays “an exorbitant amount of federal taxes” and that U.S. government dollars are critical to funding national security priorities such as education, transportation and counterterrorism efforts.
Malliotakis also noted that the city is a popular hub for fellow Republicans seeking high-dollar donations.
“Nobody who signed this bill, including Buddy, should ever come to New York to raise a dollar for their campaign,” he said. “If they are going to sponsor a bill that is hostile to our city, then they should not be here to collect money from our residents.”
Mamdani ran against former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa (pictured during a debate in October 2025). (Angelina Katsanis-Pool/Getty Images)
Socialist Mamdani was elected as the next mayor of the country’s largest city on Tuesday night, but according to the latest estimates he appears to have won just over 50% of the vote.
The 34-year-old won most of Brooklyn and parts of the Bronx and Queens.
But a majority of the neighborhoods in Malliotakis’ district, which covers all of Staten Island and parts of southern Brooklyn, voted in favor of former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
REPUBLICANS AIM TO CONNECT FRAGILE DEMOCRATS TO MAMDANI
Malliotakis had personally endorsed Republican Curtis Sliwa, who won less than 10 percent of the vote following the GOP’s latest push to unite around Cuomo.
“I completely agree, we are not asking for any money to fund a socialist or communist agenda or certain policies that we strongly oppose. This is where we will hold Zohran Mamdani accountable,” he said. “But to say that basic funding for the things that everyone in America needs will be stopped is absurd.”
CLICK TO REACH THE FOX NEWS APPLICATION
Carter responded to Malliotakis in a statement to Fox News Digital: “Nicole is New York City’s last line of defense against socialism. If everyone stood up for New York City like Nicole did, it wouldn’t be in this terrible mess.”
“He and I agree: Taxpayers shouldn’t be funding a socialist or communist agenda. New York’s new mayor is embracing it, and hard-working Americans shouldn’t have to subsidize it. The MAMDANI Act makes it clear, plain and simple,” Carter said.
The infighting within the Republican House could be a potential warning of what’s to come as the socialist prepares to begin his term.
While the GOP has signaled it is ready to use Mamdani’s win as a political cudgel against the left, the right’s efforts to punish the city and potentially the Empire State as a whole could cause friction among Republicans who represent part of the city.
