Fifty years after a Republican administration ignited New York City residents in opposition with an attitude summed up by the classic headline “Ford to City: Drop Dead,” a New York Republican wants to lower the volume of the partisan political outrage over the city’s political embrace of far-left Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani.
Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, the only Republican member of Congress who represents New York City, took issue with a proposal by fellow Republican Rep. Buddy Carter of Georgia that would deny New York City any federal funds as long as Mamdani is mayor, according to Fox News.
“These attempts by those within my party to score cheap political points by going after New York City are not going to be met lightly. We’re going to fight back,” Malliotakis said.
“These attempts by those within my party to score cheap political points by going after New York City are not going to be met lightly. We’re going to fight back,” Rep. Nicole Malliotakis told Fox News Digital on Friday.https://t.co/zmNGbeJ4Y8
— Rep. Nicole Malliotakis Office (@RepNicole) November 7, 2025
“I’m the only Republican representing our city in Washington. My constituents did not vote for Zohran Mamdani, and then you have people in Washington wanting to punish the whole city for the stupid decisions of a few,” she said.
Carter has said he will file a bill called the “Moving American Money Distant from Anti-National Interests Act,” hence the MAMDANI Act.
The bill is terse, saying “Notwithstanding any other provision of law, during any period in which Zohran Mamdani is mayor of New York, New York” the bill would hold that “any unobligated Federal funds available” for the city “are hereby rescinded,” and that “no Federal funds may be obligated or expended for any purpose to New York, New York.”
The bill was on track to be introduced Friday.
Should Congress pass the MAMDANI Act?
Malliotakis said declaring political war on New York City over its choice of mayors is ludicrous.
“Attempts by Congressman Buddy Carter to strip New York City of all its funding is ludicrous and a slap in the face to the hardworking taxpayers of this city, half of which did not even support Zohran Mamdani for mayor,” she said.
Malliotakis also noted the money issue, including both the taxes the city pays to Washington and the campaign dollars that flow from New York City to races across the country.
“Anyone who signs onto that bill, including Buddy, should not come to New York City to raise a dollar for their campaign,” she said. “If they’re going to sponsor a hostile bill toward our city, then they shouldn’t be coming to raise money from our residents.”
Malliotakis said using the withholding of federal funds as a tactic to curb Mamdani’s expected outrages can be effective, but Carter’s proposal goes too far.
“I totally agree, we don’t want any money going to fund a socialist or communist agenda or specific policies that we strongly disagree with. That’s where we’re going to hold Zohran Mamdani accountable,” she said. “But to say that basic funding for things that everyone across America needs will be halted is ridiculous.”
Carter was not irked by Malliotakis’s comments.
“Nicole is New York City’s last line of defense against socialism. If everyone stood up for New York City the way Nicole does, it wouldn’t be in this awful mess,” he said.
“She and I agree: Taxpayers shouldn’t bankroll a socialist or communist agenda. New York’s new mayor embraces it, and hardworking Americans shouldn’t have to subsidize it. The MAMDANI Act makes that clear, plain and simple,” Carter said.
To take effect, the bill would need to pass the House and Senate, an unlikely event amid a logjam of legislation and Democratic intransigence that led to the government shutdown.
Carter might have another issue with the MAMDANI Act.
Republican Rep. Michael Lawyer of New York already introduced legislation with a title that spelled out the mayor-elect’s name.
Lawler’s “Measuring Adverse Market Disruption And National Impact Act” would study the impact of government-owned grocery stores – one of Mamdani’s signature promises.
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