An aide for New York Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul, a New York City council member, and a retired NYPD sergeant are all tied to a federal bribery investigation involving migrant shelter contracts, according to the Associated Press.
Edouardo St. Fort, a former NYPD sergeant, was <a href="https://apnews.com/article/farah-debbie-louis-edouardo-st-fort-bribery-c8037a7eb9f332b8a35e9cd05a59d119">arrested</a> in Massachusetts Tuesday. Prosecutors allege he was involved in a scheme connected to contracts awarded to provide services at the shelters.
Three others were arrested as part of the probe, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/farah-debbie-louis-edouardo-st-fort-bribery-c8037a7eb9f332b8a35e9cd05a59d119" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to the AP.
A March 19 search warrant also names Council Member Farah Louis, a Democrat representing part of Brooklyn; her sister, Debbie Louis, who serves as Hochul’s assistant secretary of New York City intergovernmental affairs; and Edu Hermelyn, the husband of state Assemblyman Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, who is also chair of the Brooklyn Democratic Party.
The sisters were not among the arrested, the AP reported.
Authorities are seeking information on whether the accused received improper payments tied to contracts issued to BHRAGS Home Care Inc., the AP <a href="https://apnews.com/article/farah-louis-debbie-louis-edu-hermelyn-brooklyn-democratic-73fdb7398a718efbadd5e0a9c0b4f519" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> Monday. The nonprofit group expanded its services to include emergency migrant shelters in 2022 and subsequently received more than a dozen contracts. St. Fort&#8217;s company, Fort NYC Security, provided security at the shelters as a subcontractor for BHRAGS and another nonprofit serving the city&#8217;s homeless population, Bronx Family Network Inc.
Five of the six contracts handed to St. Fort&#8217;s company were issued on an emergency basis, allowing the city to bypass competitive bidding requirements, the AP reported.
Debbie Louis was placed on leave last week after Hochul got wind of the probe, a spokesperson for the governor said. Sources <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/03/30/us-news/federal-prosecutors-investigating-nyc-council-member-hochul-aide-for-taking-bribes-to-help-migrant-shelter-provider/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> the New York Post that the probe does not involve Louis&#8217; role in the governor&#8217;s office or state funds.
St. Fort has been indicted on charges including conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States, bribery involving programs receiving federal funds, and violating a law prohibiting interstate travel for unlawful activities, according to the AP.
New York City was hit with an influx of more than 200,000 migrants during the Biden administration as millions were ushered across the southern border and released en masse. Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott bused some of the migrants to New York in an effort to put pressure on sanctuary cities and draw attention to their policies. As a result, the city was forced to scramble to find housing for the newly arrived migrants, flipping hotels into shelters and erecting a tent facility on Randall’s Island to accommodate the influx.

New York City Honors Juneteenth Holiday

Bribery Probe Hits Dem Governor’s Inner Circle Over Migrant Shelter Deals

Immigration

Kathy Hochul

New York

New York City Democratic Mayor Zohran Mamdani is moving to cut third-party consulting contracts as he works to implement his socialist agenda and close a $5.4 billion budget deficit, adopting a cost-cutting approach similar to that of President Donald Trump&#8217;s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative.
In 2025, as part of Trump&#8217;s effort, DOGE canceled $5.1 billion in consulting services from private contractors, including Deloitte, which had more than <a href="https://fortune.com/2025/04/03/doge-private-contract-crackdown-deloitte-consultancies/">120</a> contracts eliminated. 
Mamdani <a href="https://www.nyc.gov/mayors-office/news/2026/03/mayor-mamdani-releases-update-on-savings-plan">said</a> the city will eliminate consulting agreements across several agencies, including the Department of Corrections, NYC Aging, the Department of Social Services, and the Office of Technology and Innovation.
&#8220;The city was paying for a lot of work from outside contractors that was costing us far too much,&#8221; he said in a <a href="https://x.com/NYCMayor/status/2036801229322412378">post</a> on X. &#8220;So we&#8217;re bringing a lot of that work in-house and saving our budget millions.&#8221;
The cuts are expected to save roughly $15 million, a small fraction of the overall deficit.
Mamdani&#8217;s move comes as he continues grappling with the city&#8217;s growing fiscal challenges. He has blamed the current fiscal crisis on financial mismanagement by the Adams administration, which came under fire for consulting spending. The city paid elite consulting firm McKinsey <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/new-york-hired-mckinsey-to-assess-the-citys-waste-needs-2024-7">$1.6</a> million to study, design, and plan a new system to keep trash off the sidewalks. Critics mocked the result, saying the firm effectively produced a redesigned trash can under the label “containerization.” 
If Mamdani is unable to secure additional revenue through Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul, he has said the city may turn to a last resort: raising property taxes by 9.5% and drawing down its “rainy day fund.”
Mamdani points in part to the roughly <a href="https://www.cityandstateny.com/policy/2024/12/following-asylum-seeker-odyssey/382850/">$4.3</a> billion cost of housing and supporting more than <a href="https://www.cityandstateny.com/policy/2024/12/following-asylum-seeker-odyssey/382850/">210,000 migrants</a> who arrived in the city under his predecessor in 2022. He has argued that the situation is worse than the 2008 financial crisis.
That claim is debatable. During the financial crisis, roughly <a href="https://medium.com/@jmk9857/gfc-nyc-a-look-at-the-2008-global-financial-crisis-and-its-impact-on-new-york-city-e594402f3302">55,000</a> New Yorkers lost their jobs, and city deficits averaged about $5 billion, equivalent to about $7.6 billion today. Even as he warns of a &#8220;generational fiscal crisis,&#8221; Mamdani has downplayed recent credit outlook downgrades, calling them premature as negotiations for additional revenue continue.

NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani Interview

Mamdani Steals Move From Trump’s Playbook To Try To Fund His Socialist Agenda

DOGE

Zohran Mamdani

New York Governor Kathy Hochul took to a fireside chat this week to essentially beg the wealthy &#8220;captives&#8221; she’s already chased away to come back and fund her socialist fever dreams.
Sitting down with Nick Reisman at the Politico New York Agenda summit, Hochul finally <a href="https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/video-audio-photos-rush-transcript-governor-hochul-participates-fireside-chat-politico-summit?utm_source=chatgpt.com">admitted</a> what conservatives have been saying for years: high taxes actually drive people away.
Imagine that.
After years of treating the state’s high-net-worth residents like an ATM with an infinite balance, Hochul is suddenly &#8220;conscious of the fact that I need people who are high-net-worth to support the generous social programs that we want to have in our state &#8230; cut me the checks, if you want to be supportive, but maybe the first step should be to go down to Palm Beach and see who we can bring back home because our tax base has been eroded.&#8221;
Translation? The piggy bank is empty, and the people who used to fill it have realized that Florida doesn&#8217;t have a state income tax or a Governor who views them as &#8220;captives.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Kathy Hochul making a weak plea for wealthy people who have left New York (to red states like Florida) to come back to pay their high taxes to fund failing (unaccountable) social programs: 
“I need people who are high net worth to support the generous social programs we have in… <a href="https://t.co/7quhsFyWyn">pic.twitter.com/7quhsFyWyn</a>
&mdash; Matt Whitlock (@MattWhitlock) <a href="https://twitter.com/MattWhitlock/status/2034243619616391649?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Remote work changed everything,&#8221; Hochul lamented, sounding like a jailer who accidentally left the cell door unlocked. &#8220;There were people who could only work in an office in Manhattan &#8230; and they were captives to our state. They were going to stay. We saw that that’s not the case.&#8221; She even admitted that Wall Street is eyeing Texas — not because of the personalities involved, but because of the cold, hard math. &#8220;They’re not going there because they have a nicer governor&#8230; they’re going there because of the tax rate.&#8221;
Despite this moment of clarity, Hochul’s solution isn&#8217;t to cut spending or scale back the &#8220;generous&#8221; programs that caused the crisis. Instead, she’s asking &#8220;patriotic millionaires&#8221; to &#8220;cut me the checks&#8221; and suggests a recruitment drive in the Sunshine State. &#8220;Maybe the first step should be to go down to Palm Beach and see who we can bring back home because our tax base has been eroded,&#8221; she said.
Good luck with that. Why would anyone trade a cabana in Palm Beach for a &#8220;late night call&#8221; from a New York politician demanding money?
The governor also spent a significant amount of time whining about the Trump administration, blaming the former President for everything from the price of gas to her own inability to meet radical climate goals. She admitted that her administration’s green energy mandates are &#8220;scaring the crap out of everybody&#8221; with skyrocketing utility costs, yet she continues to push an &#8220;all-of-the-above approach&#8221; while begging for &#8220;breathing room.&#8221;
Ultimately, Hochul is a leader in denial. She wants the &#8220;generous&#8221; spending of a socialist utopia but is realizing — far too late — that Margaret Thatcher was right: eventually you run out of other people’s money.

New York State Governor Kathy Hochul

Hochul Begs Rich New Yorkers To Return From Florida, Admits High Taxes Chased Them Away

Florida

A man accused of shoving two men, including an 83-year-old Air Force veteran, onto New York City subway tracks on Sunday is an illegal immigrant who was previously deported on four separate occasions.
Bairon Posada-Hernandez first entered the country on January 2, 2008, and was subsequently deported four different times, most recently in 2020, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) revealed Thursday. He snuck into the country illegally a fifth time without getting caught.
The Honduran national also has a &#8220;lengthy&#8221; rap sheet of 15 prior charges, including simple assault, domestic violence, obstruction of police, possession of a weapon, drug possession, and aggravated assault, DHS said.
“Bairon Posada-Hernandez is a serial criminal and a four-time deported illegal alien from Honduras who should never have been able to walk our streets and harm innocent Americans,” Deputy Assistant Homeland Secretary Lauren Bis said in a statement Thursday.
“We are praying for the victims and their families. DHS is calling upon New York sanctuary politicians to commit to this ICE detainer and not release this heinous criminal back into New York communities,&#8221; Bis added.
Posada-Hernandez allegedly shoved the elderly veteran, who has since been identified as Richard Williams, and the 30-year-old man onto the tracks in an unprovoked attack late Sunday morning, <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/03/11/us-news/migrant-accused-of-shoving-83-year-old-another-man-onto-subway-tracks-calmly-walked-away-after-crime-video/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to the New York Post. The illegal immigrant then fled the scene before passersby saved the two men from getting hit by the next subway train.
Disturbing cellphone footage of the attack obtained by the New York Post showed Posada-Hernandez calmly walking away.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) lodged a detainer on March 10, requesting that local authorities hand Posada-Hernandez over to the feds, according to DHS.
Local authorities are not expected to comply due to sanctuary laws.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic socialist, doubled down on those policies with an executive order last month.
More than 7,110 illegal immigrants were in local law enforcement custody across the state of New York in February with ICE detainers, according to DHS. The inmates account for 148 homicides, 717 assaults, 134 burglaries, 106 robberies, 235 dangerous drugs offenses, 152 weapons offenses, and 260 sexual predatory offenses.
Authorities arrested Posada-Hernandez around 5 a.m. on Tuesday at a homeless shelter in Brooklyn, according to the New York Post. He is now charged with attempted murder, attempted assault, assault, and reckless endangerment.
Williams is still clinging to life at a local hospital, the New York Post reported.
“My father, Richard, is on a respirator in the ICU in the hospital. That’s all we are going to say,” one of Williams’ daughters told the outlet Tuesday.

Untitled design – 2026-03-12T112331.085

Illegal Immigrant Accused Of Shoving Air Force Veteran Onto Subway Tracks Was Deported Four Times

Crime

deportation

Illegal Immigration

New York City

Sanctuary Cities

U.S.

Moody’s downgraded New York City&#8217;s financial outlook from &#8220;stable&#8221; to &#8220;negative&#8221; on Wednesday, citing a projected $5.4 billion budget deficit. 
The deficit was unveiled by Democratic Mayor Zohran Mamdani during a preliminary budget hearing in February. Mamdani has proposed increasing the city’s budget from $115 billion under his predecessor to $127 billion for the upcoming fiscal year. 
A spokesperson for Mamdani said Moody&#8217;s action is <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/moody-downgrades-nyc-financial-outlook-202000768.html">premature</a>, noting that state lawmakers are considering roughly $5 billion in additional funding for the city.
In its statement, Moody&#8217;s acknowledged that the proposed state funding “could have a stabilizing effect over time,” but cautioned that it would matter only “if enacted.” 
Without additional state funding, Mamdani has proposed raising property taxes by <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mamdanis-127b-budget-plan-relies-on-property-tax-increases-and-raiding-rainy-day-fund">9.5%</a> and taking <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mamdanis-127b-budget-plan-relies-on-property-tax-increases-and-raiding-rainy-day-fund">$980</a> million from the city’s rainy-day fund. Moody&#8217;s warned that tapping reserves would “limit financial flexibility, especially if economic growth slows sharply or an outright downturn materializes.” 
New York City Comptroller Mark Levine described the potential property tax hike and use of reserves as having “dire consequences” and called Moody’s decision a red flag. 
“Moody’s decision to review New York City’s outlook to negative is a sobering wakeup call about the fiscal challenges ahead for us,” Levine said. 
The downgrade comes after a year in which the city posted record Wall Street revenues amid a strong local economy.
Despite revising the outlook, Moody&#8217;s left the city&#8217;s bond rating unchanged. A full downgrade would likely raise New York&#8217;s borrowing costs by signaling greater credit risks to investors.
Moody&#8217;s warned that a rating downgrade could follow if budget gaps widen to 10% of city revenue.
Mamdani has attributed the projected deficits to what he describes as mismanagement under former Mayor Eric Adams, arguing that prior budgets failed to adequately fund cash assistance, rental support, and shelter services.
During the Adams administration, the city absorbed more than <a href="https://www.cityandstateny.com/policy/2024/12/following-asylum-seeker-odyssey/382850/">210,000 migrants,</a> with officials estimating the cost of housing and support services at roughly <a href="https://www.cityandstateny.com/policy/2024/12/following-asylum-seeker-odyssey/382850/">$4.3</a> billion. Those expenses continue to strain the city&#8217;s budget.
Meanwhile, Mamdani has advanced several costly campaign proposals, including expanded childcare and transit initiatives. According to estimates cited by the New York Post, the mayor&#8217;s proposed expansion of childcare for two-year-olds could grow from $73 million in its first year to $425 million by 2027. A proposed &#8220;free and fast buses&#8221; initiative could cost the city up to <a href="https://www.vitalcitynyc.org/how-mamdani-can-delivery-free-buses-and-subways-too/#:~:text=For%20example%2C%20his%20own%20campaign,to%20be%20made%20up%20somewhere.">$800 million</a>.
&nbsp;

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani Holds Press Conference At Deno’s Wonder Wheel On Coney Island

Months Into Mamdani’s Term, NYC Gets A Big Credit Warning

The Justice Department announced Monday that it may have reached a settlement in its antitrust lawsuit against Ticketmaster and parent company Live Nation Entertainment.
Though nothing is confirmed yet, the DOJ announced in Manhattan federal court that the case was likely nearing a conclusion after the term sheet was signed on Thursday, per the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/livenation-antitrust-justice-department-0a6ef66f497e5f626096de753bfff8ce">Associated Press</a>.
An unnamed official told the outlet that the terms included Live Nation paying a fine of up to $280 million and divesting some properties to allow for more competition in the ticket sales industry. The official said the settlement was a “win-win for everybody.”
Certain states were allegedly not on board with the proposed terms, however, and Judge Arun Subramanian called the terms “entirely unacceptable.”
New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement that the settlement “fails to address the monopoly at the center of this case.” 
“My attorney general colleagues and I have a strong case against Live Nation, and we will continue our lawsuit to protect consumers and restore fair competition to the live entertainment industry,” she said, adding that she preferred to move forward with the trial.
Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown has a similar take, saying, “[the] case against Live Nation is strong, and the state coalition is committed to holding the company accountable for its illegal behavior, protecting consumers and restoring competition to this market,” the outlet noted.
The lawsuit was originally filed in 2024 under the Biden administration, as WSJ <a href="https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/live-nation-reaches-settlement-in-federal-antitrust-case-9f0c6fb7">reported</a>. About 40 states came together to sue the entertainment company.
U.S. Justice Department lawyer David Dahlquist summarized the charges during opening statements last Tuesday, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/doj-opens-landmark-antitrust-trial-against-ticketmaster-calls-concert-ticketing-broken">reported</a>.
“This case is about power, the power of a monopolist to control competition,” Dahlquist said. “Today, the concert ticket industry is broken.”
Attorney David Marriott, who is representing Live Nation, said it wasn’t so. “We’ll let the numbers do the talking. We do not have monopoly power,” he said in response.
The complaint alleges that the company engages in “anticompetitive conduct” that results in higher fees, fewer opportunities for artists, and limited ticketing options. The filing occurred after the infamous 2022 incident when Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour pre-sale tickets caused the Ticketmaster site to crash, with thousands of fans — and bots — swarming the site all at once.
This Taylor Swift incident led to congressional hearings beginning in January 2023.
Ticketmaster was founded in 1976 and merged with Live Nation in 2010. Over the years, the company has clashed with fans and artists, with many accusing the company of having predatory prices. The rock band Pearl Jam testified before Congress on the issue all the way back in 1994, but their efforts ultimately led nowhere.

Taylor Swift

Ticketmaster Case Sparked By Taylor Swift Ticket Meltdown Enters Key Stage

Department of Justice

Lawsuit

Music

Ticketmaster

A landmark antitrust trial against Live Nation began this week in New York with the Department of Justice seeking to prove that the entertainment company, which owns Ticketmaster, maintains an illegal monopoly over the concert ticket industry.
U.S. Justice Department lawyer David Dahlquist summarized the charges during opening statements on Tuesday, per the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/live-nation-ticketmaster-antitrust-trial-ecfd6cb3e77459412584ed002653bc8f">Associated Press</a>. 
“This case is about power, the power of a monopolist to control competition,” Dahlquist said. “Today, the concert ticket industry is broken.”
Attorney David Marriott, who is representing Live Nation, said it wasn’t so. “We’ll let the numbers do the talking. We do not have monopoly power,” he said in response.
The complaint alleges that the company engages in &#8220;anticompetitive conduct&#8221; that results in higher fees, fewer opportunities for artists, and limited ticketing options. 
Per <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/live-nation-ticketmaster-antitrust-trial-doj-what-to-know-rcna261400">NBC News</a>, Live Nation controls 400 musical artists and owns or controls 265 concert venues in North America. 
“Through interconnected agreements associated with Live Nation’s various roles as ticketer, promoter, artist manager, and venue owner,” the complaint states. “Live Nation has created a feedback loop that pushes ticketing and ancillary fees higher while allowing Live Nation to be on all sides of numerous transactions and thereby double-dip from the pockets of fans, artists, and venues.”
This trial, expected to last six weeks, came about after a 2024 lawsuit alleged that Live Nation unfairly dominated concert ticketing and promotion, leaving no room for competitors. The filing occurred after the infamous 2022 incident when Taylor Swift&#8217;s Eras Tour pre-sale tickets caused the Ticketmaster site to crash, with thousands of fans and bots swarming the site all at once.
This Taylor Swift incident led to congressional hearings beginning in January 2023.
“To have a strong capitalist system, you have to have competition. You can’t have too much consolidation. Something that unfortunately for this country — as an ode to Taylor Swift, I will say — we know all too well,” Minnesota Democrat Sen. Amy Klobuchar said at the time, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/twitter-loses-it-over-senators-quoting-taylor-swift-songs-at-ticketmaster-hearing">reported</a>.
Ticketmaster began in 1976 and merged with Live Nation in 2010. Over the years, the company has been at odds with fans and artists at various points, with many accusing the company of having predatory prices. The rock band Pearl Jam testified before Congress on the issue all the way back in 1994, but their efforts ultimately led nowhere.
Marriott argued during the trial’s opening day that the company supports the music industry and is “all about bringing joy to people’s lives.”
He also said the amount of revenue Ticketmaster and Live Nation rake in is highly exaggerated, as AP noted.

DOJ Opens Landmark Antitrust Trial Against Ticketmaster, Calls Concert Ticketing ‘Broken’

Ticketmaster Antitrust Trial Begins Today, DOJ Says Concert Ticket Industry Is 'Broken'

Entertainment

On Monday, in a 6-3 vote, the Supreme Court blocked a New York trial court order that would have required redrawing a congressional district ahead of the 2026 election.
By granting a stay requested by Rep. Nicole Malliotakis and state election officials, the Court’s conservative majority sent a clear message: state courts cannot use the pretext of &#8220;vote dilution&#8221; to mandate simple racial discrimination or justify actions that violate the Equal Protection Clause.
The case centers on New York’s 11th Congressional District, encompassing Staten Island and southern Brooklyn. Activists attempted to use the state constitution to force the creation of a &#8220;crossover&#8221; district, specifically designed to ensure that minority voters — who comprise approximately 30% of Staten Island&#8217;s population — could elect their preferred candidates.
In January, Justice Jeffrey Pearlman of the New York Supreme Court, a trial-level court, <a href="https://www.scotusblog.com/2026/03/supreme-court-grants-republicans-request-to-pause-order-to-redraw-new-york-congressional-map/">sided</a> with these activists. He prohibited the use of the existing congressional map and ordered the Independent Redistricting Commission to redraw the lines based on explicit racial targets. Critics of the order argued that it amounted to a race-based gerrymander targeting the only Republican representative in New York City, prioritizing identity politics over neutral districting.
Justice Samuel Alito cut through the legal jargon to identify the trial court&#8217;s order for what it was: a violation of the 14th Amendment. Alito made clear that a state court cannot authorize redistricting for the &#8220;express purpose&#8221; of producing race-based outcomes.
Citing its 2023 decision in Students for Fair Admissions, the Supreme Court reiterated that the government may only engage in race-based action under &#8220;extraordinary&#8221; circumstances, such as remediating specific, identified past discrimination. In granting the stay, the majority suggested that neither the lower court nor the challengers provided sufficient justification. As Alito noted: &#8220;A state law cannot authorize the violation of federal rights.&#8221;
The Supreme Court’s decision is good news for Republican leaders in states like Texas and Louisiana, where Democrats and civil rights groups have argued that the states must draw more &#8220;opportunity districts&#8221; to account for minority population growth.
By granting the stay, the Court signaled skepticism toward making special &#8220;crossover&#8221; districts to achieve race-based electoral outcomes. That reasoning could make it more difficult for groups to demand new maps based predominantly on racial demographics.
The Court also dealt with the Purcell principle, the doctrine cautioning against judicial changes to election rules too close to an election. Usually, judges aren&#8217;t supposed to change voting rules right before people vote, which could cause confusion.
Now, the Supreme Court is saying this &#8220;no-changes zone&#8221; starts much earlier — even four to eight months before the election. This acts like an emergency brake, stopping lower-court judges from forcing states to change their maps at the last minute. It keeps things stable and focuses on fair rules instead of meeting racial quotas.
This ruling is a win for those who believe the Constitution is colorblind. It stops what critics viewed as a partisan attempt to use race as a tool for political gain and ensures that New York’s 2026 elections proceed under established, legislatively enacted maps rather than experimental racial quotas.

Sign outside New York Congressman Nicole Malliotakis office

Supreme Court Slaps Down New York Judge’s Attempt to Redraw GOP District For ‘Racial Fairness’

Courts

gerrymandering

Supreme Court

New York City landlords are firing back at Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s director of Tenant Protection after comments calling property ownership “white supremacist.”
Cea Weaver, a high-ranking operative within the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), has faced repeated criticism for past social media posts attacking homeownership.
“The reality is that for centuries, we have really treated property as an individualized good and not as a collective good,” Weaver said in one video from 2021. She added that the transition to “shared equity” would target “white families” and “some POC (people of color) families who are homeowners.”
In a social media post from 2019, she said “homeownership is a weapon of white supremacy masquerading as ‘wealth building’ public policy,” The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/marxism-in-the-metropolis-nycs-new-tenant-czar-has-targeted-white-homeowners-private-property">reported</a>.
In response to Weaver’s past comments, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/nyc-landlords-fire-back-racist-mamdani-aides-claim-ties-homeownership-white-supremacy">told</a> Fox News: “Civil Rights Division of the DOJ is on high alert as to the radical agenda promised by Mayor Mamdani, much of which is at odds with our federal Constitutional and civil rights norms.”
Now, NYC landlords are accusing Weaver of racism for ignoring immigrant property owners in the city.
“I think that the true socialist views toward housing and taking housing away from people like myself is the racist element in this,” Jan Lee, a third-generation Chinatown property owner and board member of the Small Property Owners of New York (SPONY), told Fox News Digital. “I think when you start to lump all of us together and say that we’re all the bad thing that&#8217;s keeping people out of housing, that’s racist. We’re right out of the gate in this administration, starting off with extreme hostility for property owners.”
Ann Korchak, board president of SPONY, called Weaver’s comments “insulting.”
“To say that it’s racist to own property is an insult to every single immigrant who ever came here,” Korchak said.
Weaver would be “blown away by the diversity” of NYC property owners, Korchak said.
“New York has a rich tradition of immigrants kind of reaching the American dream through property ownership,” Korchak said. “So many of our members and others who don’t even know that we exist came to America because they didn’t have rights in wherever they came from.”
Weaver recently led the first of five planned “Rental Ripoff Hearings” intended to “uncover policy recommendations that will more effectively and systematically protect tenants in their homes,” The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/we-went-to-zohran-mamdanis-first-rental-ripoff-hearing-everyone-was-mad">reported</a>.
At the meeting, Weaver said the mayor’s office would use the feedback collected at the Rental Ripoff hearings to inform housing policy going forward.
Private landlords said the hearings are too one-sided.
“They should pull from a combination of tenants, landlords, financiers, developers, and economists,” New York real estate broker Adam Frisch told The Daily Wire. “Everybody looks at the situation with their own biases, and it’s the role of the mayor to sit down with tenants and landlords and say I know you’re both unhappy. Let’s see what we can do.”

NYC Landlords Blast Mamdani Official Who Calls Property Ownership ‘Weapon Of White Supremacy’

Property Rights

Racism

A 27-year-old man accused of a separate crime was arrested Thursday in relation to the mob that surrounded NYPD police officers and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/it-was-a-snowball-fight-mamdani-downplays-unruly-mob-that-injured-nypd-officers">pelted them with snowballs</a> earlier this week.
Gusmane Coulibaly was detained by NYPD officers after the department released images of four people, including Coulibaly, wanted after two officers were injured when a mob of people hurled snowballs at them at Washington Square Park on Monday. The NYPD said that Coulibaly was arrested earlier this month for &#8220;attempted robbery in the transit system.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
This morning, the NYPD arrested Gusmane Coulibaly, 27 years old, for assaulting our officers earlier this week in Washington Square Park.
Mr. Coulibaly was previously arrested less than three weeks ago for an attempted robbery in the transit system. <a href="https://t.co/IHO2zTC4tr">pic.twitter.com/IHO2zTC4tr</a>
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/NYPDnews/status/2027010078302462147?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The three other suspects wanted by New York police remain at large, the New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/02/26/us-news/punk-with-rap-sheet-arrested-in-nypd-snowball-attack-and-he-is-not-a-kid-as-mayor-mamdani-insisted/">reported</a>. It remains unclear what charges Coulibaly faces.
New York City&#8217;s democratic socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani put himself at odds with other city and state officials, including Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch and New York Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul, when he told reporters he disagreed with calls for arrests following the snowball attack.
The mayor urged people to treat the city’s law enforcement with respect, but added that the videos he saw of the incident only showed a snowball fight that &#8220;got out of hand.&#8221;
“Look, I’ve seen the videos of this snowball fight. I think that it was a snowball fight,&#8221; he said, later adding, “I can just tell you from the video I saw it looked like kids at a snowball fight.”
Mamdani&#8217;s office doubled down on the mayor&#8217;s stance on Thursday, with Mamdani spokeswoman Dora Pekec telling The Daily Wire, “As the mayor has said, police officers deserve to be treated with respect. The videos he saw showed a snowball fight that got out of hand. He does not believe this situation rises to the level of criminal charges.”
The incident took place after a massive storm dumped around two feet of snow on New York City and brought much of the Big Apple to a standstill on Monday.
One video of the incident shows officers attempting to walk through the crowd as people slung snowballs at them and ran up behind them to dump large chunks of snow and ice on their heads. Some people in the crowd stood in front of the officers as they tried to walk through the park, and the officers threw at least two people to the ground. Another video showed a group of police officers fleeing the scene as the crowd continued to hurl snowballs at them. Two officers were treated at the hospital for lacerations on their faces.
Tisch called the mob’s actions “disgraceful” and “criminal,&#8221; while Hochul said it is &#8220;never acceptable to throw anything at a police officer.&#8221;
The NYPD Police Benevolent Association celebrated the arrest of Coulibaly on Thursday and blasted Mayor Mamdani, <a href="https://x.com/NYCPBA/status/2027018775321559211">writing</a> on social media, &#8220;A 27-year-old is not a &#8216;kid,&#8217; @NYCMayor.&#8221;
&#8220;This individual is an adult with a recent attempted robbery arrest, and your message was that it’s OK for him to assault police officers for doing their job,&#8221; the police union added. &#8220;This arrest sends a different message. We’re grateful to all who have worked so hard on this case. There is more work to be done…&#8221;

NYPD Nabs 27-Year-Old After Mamdani Dismissed Mob Targeting Police As ‘Kids At A Snowball Fight’

NYPD Nabs 27-Year-Old After Mamdani Dismissed Mob Targeting Police As 'Kids At A Snowball Fight'

NYPD

Police

Snow is falling across parts of the Northeast on Sunday and is expected to intensify overnight and into Monday, with many regions under blizzard warnings.
Boston, Atlantic City, Portsmouth, and New York City are expected to be among the hardest hit, with meteorologists forecasting more than a foot of snow in some areas. Nearly 100 million people across the region are expected to be impacted by the intense winter conditions, which will be amplified by strong gusts of wind.
The National Weather Service warned that “wet snow and strong winds lasting into Monday” could trigger widespread power outages.
Road conditions are expected to deteriorate quickly as falling temperatures cause slush to refreeze overnight into ice, as conditions escalate into a full blizzard. New York Governor Kathy Hochul <a href="https://abc7ny.com/live-updates/how-snow-nyc-weekend-winter-coastal-storm-weather-forecast-nj-ny-ct-tri-state-area/18626210/">painted</a> a grim picture Sunday morning, calling the day the “calm before the storm” and warning that “the worst is yet to come.” She added bluntly, “Lives are at stake.”
In New York City, Mayor Zohran Mamdani declared a local state of emergency ahead of the city’s first <a href="https://www.nbcnewyork.com/weather/live-updates-snow-totals-blizzard-nyc-nj-timing-storm-radar/6466668/?cardId=1%3A2%3A6467058&amp;_osource=SocialFlowTwt_NYBrand">blizzard warning</a> in nearly a decade. Snow began falling at around 8 a.m. on Sunday, and meteorologists predict around 16 inches of snow will accumulate between Sunday evening and Monday morning, accompanied by wind gusts of 40-60 miles per hour.
In preparation, Mamdani has declared that all roads will be closed to all vehicles, including e-bikes and scooters, beginning at 9 p.m. The closure will last until Monday at 12 p.m. One New York parent <a href="https://x.com/ycinnewyork/status/2025638618560098590">reported</a> getting texts in English and French and emails in Bangla and Russian from New York City public schools. Mamdani also canceled school entirely on Monday, shifting away from the remote learning approach used during the city’s last major snowstorm.
The mayor also asked citizens to volunteer and get paid to shovel snow. The initiative drew backlash after participants were required to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/warmth-of-collectivism-mamdani-urges-new-yorkers-to-become-an-emergency-shoveler?author=Drew+Berkemeyer&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=6&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Zohran+Mamdani+Says+No+ID+For+Voting+—+But+Bring+One+To+Shovel">present identification</a> to sign up for the program. Mamdani defended the policy, <a href="https://x.com/TheChiefNerd/status/2025626114706538627">saying</a>, “Federal law requires that employers get authorization and documentation to pay people for their work. We are not allowed to just cut checks to individuals for their work.”
In New Jersey, Governor Mikie Sherrill declared a state of emergency, saying, “I am urging you to stay off the roads Sunday through Monday.”
New Jersey is expected to face some of the harshest winds, with gusts reaching 45 miles per hour near the Delaware River and up to 60 miles per hour along the shore. Coastal flooding is also a concern. The National Weather Service said, “One to two feet of inundation above ground level is possible in low-lying areas near shorelines and tidal waterways.”
In Boston, Mayor Michelle Wu declared a snow emergency, also closing schools on Monday along with other government buildings. Forecasters expect temperatures to rise later in the week, which could help alleviate lingering snow and ice impacts once the storm moves out of the region.

Snow Hits New York

First Snow Arrives With Blizzard Set To Drop Feet Of Snow On Northeast

Boston

Severe Weather

Snow

Winter Storm Hernando will cover the Northeast with more than a foot of snow, starting Sunday.
Blizzard conditions are expected for coastal Connecticut, Delaware, Jersey Shore, Long Island, and New York City, according to Weather Channel meteorologist Chris Bruin.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Full fledge Blizzard expected in NYC, Long Island, Coastal Connecticut, Delaware and the Jersey Shore. <a href="https://twitter.com/weatherchannel?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@weatherchannel</a> <a href="https://t.co/24NrdLDCGp">pic.twitter.com/24NrdLDCGp</a>
— Chris Bruin (@ChrisBruinTV) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisBruinTV/status/2025214812641165324?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The Winter Storm Severity Index is <a href="https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/wwd/wssi/wssi.php">reporting</a> “major impacts” along the Northeast coast, from Delaware up to Massachusetts. The storm is expected to last from Sunday morning through Monday evening, CNN <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/21/weather/blizzard-snowstorm-new-york-northeast-climate">reported</a>.
In addition to cold weather, strong winds could cause coastal flooding from Delaware to Long Island, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).
The National Weather Service also <a href="https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/discussions/hpcdiscussions.php?disc=pmdspd">noted</a> that “travel will be extremely dangerous” and warned of “likely” power outages. Monday commutes will likely be disrupted, as the Weather Channel <a href="https://weather.com/storms/winter/news/2026-02-18-east-coast-storm-noreaster-forecast">recommends</a> people stay off the roads.
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An approaching storm will bring rain and high elevation snow to Pacific Northwest through the weekend. Isolated severe thunderstorms are possible across parts of the Southeast today into this evening. An impactful winter storm is forecast to bring heavy snow and high winds to the… <a href="https://t.co/zWDLF1qLOe">pic.twitter.com/zWDLF1qLOe</a>
— National Weather Service (@NWS) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWS/status/2025222415119233056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Meteorologist Jim Cantore <a href="http://x.com/jimcantore/status/2025199478693613855?s=46">said</a> on X the storm is “long overdue.”
“It’s been years since I’ve seen this kind of blizzard warning for the Northeast,” he said.
The storm will turn into a bomb cyclone — a term for a storm with rapidly decreasing pressure — by Sunday, targeting cities such as Boston, New York City, and Philadelphia.
New York City is expecting thirteen to eighteen inches of snow and wind speeds up to 55 mph, <a href="https://www.nbcnewyork.com/weather/weather-stories/blizard-warning-nyc-nj-meaning-how-much-snow/6466190/">according</a> to NBC New York. It has been nine years since the city was under a blizzard warning, the Weather Channel <a href="https://weather.com/storms/winter/news/2026-02-18-east-coast-storm-noreaster-forecast">reported</a>. The city has seen more than twenty-two inches of snow this year, compared to almost thirteen inches last year.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has resumed homeless encampment sweeps to get people inside before the storm hits, the outlet reported. Cold temperatures are expected to be less severe with this storm.
Mamdani faced criticism earlier this month when nineteen homeless people died from cold weather after Mamdani ended the encampment sweeps, The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-yorks-winter-death-toll-rises-to-19-curtis-sliwa-faults-sanctuary-city-policies">reported</a>.
The mayor is expected to brief the city on the storm later today.
The storm comes on the heels of a catastrophic cold weather event that slammed the South in late January, causing hazardous travel conditions, thousands of cancelled flights, and leaving <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nashville-reaches-5th-day-of-historic-power-outages-over-100k-still-have-no-electricity">hundreds of thousands</a> without power.
Nashville, Tennessee, was hit especially hard, as The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pictures-ice-wreaks-havoc-on-nashville-leaving-thousands-without-power">previously documented</a>, with major, long-lasting power outages, frozen roads, and downed trees.

Northeast Under Blizzard Warning, Braces For Over A Foot Of Snow

Pennsylvania

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