Senate Launches Investigation Into Mayor Mamdani, Threatens Taking $2.2 Billion In Federal Funding
Louisiana Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy announced Thursday the launch of an investigation into Democratic New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, citing concerns over his “recent actions that embolden anti-Semitism and put New York Jews at risk.”
In January, Mamdani decided not to renew an executive order signed by his predecessor, former New York Mayor Eric Adams, in June 2025 that expanded the definition of anti-Semitism, as adopted by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, Politico reported Thursday. He also failed to rrenew a separate order signed by Adams in December 2025, which prevented city officials from participating in the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel.
Cassidychairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, wrote in a letter to Mamdani on Wednesday that he was “seriously concerned” by the democratic socialist’s recent reversal of executive orders.
The senator mentioned the New York City Department of Education’s (DOE) reliance on federal funds, writing that aAs of June 2025, the city’s DOE operating budget “reflected $2.2 billion in total federal funding.” In his letter, Cassidy warned Mamdani that the “cMaintaining eligibility for this funding is contingent on compliance with federal civil rights laws and applicable executive orders intended to protect students. (RELATED: Mayor Mamdani Passes His First Big Test, and All Parties Involved in Officer-Involved Shooting Aren’t Happy with Him)
“New York City is home to the largest Jewish community outside of Israel, with approximately 1.77 million Jewish residents, or approximately 9.1 percent of the state’s total population,” Cassidy wrote in his letter to Mamdani. “Strong leadership against anti-Semitism and discrimination is essential to the safety and security of Jewish New Yorkers. As Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, I find it deeply troubling that one of your first official acts as mayor was to revoke two executive orders intended to protect students and combat anti-Semitism.
WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 29: Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) walks toward a federal government funding vote at the U.S. Capitol on January 29, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
“It is my duty to ensure that every student feels safe, and at a time when Jewish students are afraid, I fear that your actions will only exacerbate their fears,” the Louisiana Republican added.
Mamdani’s office did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
Cassidy wrote in a statement posted to X on Thursday that “wRegardless of a person’s ideological background, if they hold a position of responsibility, they must protect their citizens.”
Regardless of a person’s ideological background, if they hold a position of responsibility, they must protect their citizens. It is clear that anti-Semitism is on the rise. We must respond to the real dangers directed against Jewish students. https://t.co/VTHeEWEucU
– U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, MD (@SenBillCassidy) February 5, 2026
“Clearly, anti-Semitism is on the rise,” he added in his social media post. “We must respond to the real dangers directed against Jewish students. »
Mamdani faced significant backlash over his anti-Israel rhetoric, and he also previously did not explicitly condemn the controversial phrase “globalizing the Intifada”, widely seen as a call for violence against Jewish people.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent, nonpartisan news service, is available free to any legitimate news publisher capable of delivering a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and DCNF affiliation. For questions about our guidelines or our partnership, please contact licenses@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.
