Queens Councilman Phil Wong is calling for an investigation into Mayor Zohran Mamdani, alleging the mayor misused $1.6 million in taxpayer funds for political advertising. Wong has urged Governor Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James to intervene, stating that the city's ethics watchdog has declined to investigate the matter.
According to Wong, the advertising campaign, which featured Mamdani's image on buses and kiosks, aimed to influence New Yorkers to support ballot proposals that could grant the administration more power. Wong expressed concern that this could constitute illegal electioneering under New York City Charter Section 1136.1, which prohibits the use of government resources for such purposes. He noted that knowing or intentional violations can be considered misdemeanors.
City Hall has maintained that the ads were intended as public voter education, with a disclaimer on the campaign's landing page stating, "The NYC Mayor’s Office is encouraging New Yorkers to participate in elections across the city. We are not suggesting or recommending voting in any particular way." However, Wong argues that the campaign highlighted the supposed benefits of the proposals without adequately explaining potential consequences for community input and oversight.
Wong stated that his office had filed complaints with the New York City Conflicts of Interest Board (COIB), but received no meaningful action. He indicated that the COIB asserted such matters fell outside its jurisdiction. Calls to Hochul and James, described as allies of Mamdani, reportedly went unreturned.
Mamdani's administration has faced scrutiny for the use of public resources in past campaigns. Previously, he was reported to have used a non-public area of Gracie Mansion for a campaign video and allegedly used NYPD security cars to escort a candidate during a primary.
The Citizens Union watchdog group confirmed they have been receiving numerous questions about Mamdani's recent ad spending. A representative from the group stated that there is currently no clear regulatory body responsible for enforcing rules on government-funded electioneering in New York City. They suggested that the City Council could pass legislation clarifying the COIB's role in regulating and enforcing these bans.