A watchdog group has filed an ethics complaint against New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, accusing him of using his official position and public resources to support several Democratic candidates. The Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT) urged the city’s Conflicts of Interest Board to investigate Mamdani for alleged violations.
In its complaint, FACT cites three instances since January where Mamdani allegedly endorsed candidates during official city press conferences. The first occurred in February during a press conference about universal childcare, when Mamdani publicly endorsed Governor Kathy Hochul for her re-election campaign. FACT noted that while Mamdani had previously written an op-ed supporting Hochul, his verbal endorsement at the official event constituted a violation.
A second alleged violation involved Mamdani’s endorsement of Lindsey Boylan, who was running for City Council, during an April press conference. Mamdani stated at the time that his decision to endorse Boylan stemmed from witnessing her "bravery and her courage in standing up over the years."
The complaint's third instance points to a June press conference addressing a heat wave, where Mamdani endorsed eight candidates running in that month's Democratic primaries. He listed the candidates he was "very excited about" during the official city business event.
FACT highlighted that in all three cited cases, Mamdani appeared behind the official seal of New York City, and transcripts of these press conferences were posted on the city's website. The group is requesting that the board impose appropriate penalties.
Kendra Arnold, executive director of FACT, stated that separating official activities from political ones is crucial for maintaining public trust. "The use of public resources to influence the political process gives a clear and unfair advantage to the individual or party in power," Arnold said, adding that unaddressed conduct of this nature threatens the democratic process.
The complaint references a 2009 advisory opinion from the Conflicts of Interest Board that cautioned city politicians against using city resources for candidate endorsements.
Mamdani’s predecessor, former Mayor Eric Adams, was fined $4,000 by the board in February for a similar infraction. His staffers had placed whistles on reporters' chairs during a press conference to criticize accusations against former Governor Andrew Cuomo.
Mamdani's office did not respond to a request for comment. The ethics complaint seeks a formal probe into the mayor's actions.