Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York criticized mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani for living in a rent-stabilized apartment despite having vast personal wealth during a Thursday interview with CNBC.
Mamdani’s fellow mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo — who formerly served as governor of New York — targeted him earlier this week by proposing a law that would prevent privileged New Yorkers from taking advantage of rent-stabilized housing.
Cuomo suggested calling it “Zohran’s Law.”
Mamdani makes $142,000 per year as a state assemblyman. His mother is a successful filmmaker and his father is a professor. Yet he’s been able to obtain a one-bedroom apartment in Astoria, Queens, for only $2,300 per month.
When CNBC host Andrew Ross Sorkin asked Jeffries, “Do you think that he should live in a rent-controlled apartment?” the New York Democrat tried to dance around it, but couldn’t fully defend Mamdani.
“Well listen, that’s an issue for the state legislators and the state government to work out,” he said before Sorkin intervened.
“No, but it’s a fascinating issue about affordability in this city,” Sorkin shot back, “and whether there are folks who are living in rent-controlled apartments all across this city, that effectively should be going towards poor people who need that affordability.”
Jeffries replied, “It’s a legitimate issue that has been raised, and the Mamdani campaign is going to have to address it.”
The Democratic congressional leader hasn’t endorsed anyone in the race yet.
Do you think Mamdani will be the city’s next mayor?
What makes Jeffries’ comments even more comical is that before the rent issue came up, he praised Mamdani for running a primary campaign “relentlessly focused on affordability.” Yet he’s taking up space in an apartment reserved for low-income residents.
Cuomo told the New York Post last week, “We’re not supposed to be providing rent-stabilized apartments to the children of millionaires.”
His proposed law would institute a “means test” based on the rent price, along with other specific factors. But Cuomo has yet to outline a specific framework.
This isn’t the first time he’s gone after Mamdani for his accommodations.
“Somewhere last night in New York City, a single mother and her children slept at a homeless shelter because you, assemblyman @ZohranKMamdani are occupying her rent controlled apartment,” Cuomo wrote last week in a viral tweet.
“You grew up rich and married an even wealthier woman,” he continued. “You’ve had weddings on 3 continents. You own property in LGTBQIA+ murderous Uganda. You make $142,000 a year plus stipends, and your wife works too, meaning you together likely make well over $200,000. No matter which way you cut it: Zohran Mamdani is a rich person. You are actually very rich.”
Somewhere last night in New York City, a single mother and her children slept at a homeless shelter because you, assemblyman @ZohranKMamdani are occupying her rent controlled apartment.
You grew up rich and married an even wealthier woman. You’ve had weddings on 3 continents.… https://t.co/kWXUI0MxdA pic.twitter.com/mvYZfCO8Af
— Andrew Cuomo (@andrewcuomo) August 8, 2025
“I am calling on you to move out immediately and give your affordable housing back to an unhoused family who need it. Leaders must show moral clarity. Time to move out,” Cuomo concluded.
You can tell that Jeffries really wanted to stay out of the bloodbath, but just couldn’t come to Mamdani’s rescue, because it’s indefensible.
Rent control and stabilization are a disaster to begin with. But the fact that Mamdani would take advantage of it — while making well over six figures — is horrendous. It’s the definition of hypocrisy.
Though it isn’t likely to change the minds of many voters, it does put the Democratic Party in the continuously awkward position of having to defend a champagne socialist.
That is especially difficult when you’re trying to claw back blue-collar votes in vital swing states across the country that have flipped to President Donald Trump and the Republicans.
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