Support justice-driven, accurate and transparent news — make a quick donation to Truthout today!
On Tuesday, billionaires met with disgraced former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) to discuss how to beat Zohran Mamdani, the democratic socialist who handily defeated Cuomo in New York City’s democratic mayoral primary in June.
According to The New York Times, the group met to “plot” Mamdani’s defeat.
“The oligarchs are panicking,” Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) wrote on X, along with a screenshot of the Times story. Sanders and Mamdani recently held a town hall in Brooklyn as part of the senator’s “Fighting Oligarchy” tour.
“They will spend as much as it takes to try to defeat Zohran Mamdani,” Sanders continued. “They’ve got the money. We’ve got the people. Together, let’s elect Zohran and stop billionaires from buying elections.”
Mamdani posted a screenshot of the Times story next to a piece he authored for Jacobin entitled, “New York City is Not for Sale.”
“Pick your fighter,” Mamdani wrote above the images.
Despite Cuomo’s devastating defeat in the democratic primary, the former governor announced that he would stay in the race and run as an independent. Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa and Democratic Mayor Eric Adams, who is running as an independent, will also be on the ballot in November’s general election.
The day before the meeting, Jeff Blau — described by the Times as “arguably Manhattan’s biggest developer” — and his wife emailed “members of their exclusive circle” to invite them to Tuesday’s meeting, according to the Times, which obtained a copy of the email. The email was also signed by Aby Rosen, a co-owner of the Seagram Building, where the meeting took place; and billionaires Laurie M. Tisch and Gregg Hymowitz.
“Sorry for the late notice, but there is no more time for delay, discussion or dithering — we must act decisively to ensure that the next mayor of New York is Andrew Cuomo,” they wrote. “The only viable candidate with the experience, support and gravitas to defeat Zohran Mamdani is Governor Andrew Cuomo.”
President Trump is also allegedly trying to help Cuomo defeat Mamdani by offering Adams and Sliwa positions in his administration if they drop out. A New York Times/Sienna poll published yesterday shows Mamdani earning an astounding 46 percent of the vote in a four-way race. If Sliwa and Adams drop out, the poll shows Mamdani winning by a significantly smaller margin, 48 to 44.
Adams recently met with Trump advisor and billionaire real estate investor Steve Witkoff, who had been trying to finagle an appointment for Adams as the ambassador to Saudi Arabia. Earlier this year, the Department of Justice dropped its corruption case against Adams, which prompted several DOJ attorneys to resign in protest.
Last week, Adams ally Bill Ackman — yet another billionaire — called for the mayor to leave the race.
“Eric staying in the race is a disaster for New York City and a challenging future for him,” Ackman wrote on X on September 6. “I would not want to be the person responsible for handing control of the City to @ZohranKMamdani.”
A Truthout investigation published last month revealed that billionaires and their companies “have funneled more than $19 million into political action committees (PACs) that support Cuomo or oppose Mamdani and other candidates.”
Mamdani has said that billionaires should not exist, and has advocated for higher taxes on the city’s wealthiest residents. His platform includes free city buses, universal pre-K, and a freeze on rents, as well as a “crackdown on bad landlords” and building more affordable housing.
He’s also promised that, as mayor, he will order the arrest of accused war criminal Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he enters New York City. Last year, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu, and Cuomo joined Netanyahu’s legal team.
A spokesperson for the Mamdani campaign, Dora Pekec, said in a statement to the Times that while “billionaires continue to panic and scheme,” their campaign is mobilizing tens of thousands New Yorkers “to get involved in the democratic process and rally around an agenda to make this city affordable.”
“That contrast should tell you everything you need to know about this race,” she said.
Press freedom is under attack
As Trump cracks down on political speech, independent media is increasingly necessary.
Truthout produces reporting you won’t see in the mainstream: journalism from the frontlines of global conflict, interviews with grassroots movement leaders, high-quality legal analysis and more.
Our work is possible thanks to reader support. Help Truthout catalyze change and social justice — make a tax-deductible monthly or one-time donation today.