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Yesterday, the Times Union published an op-ed I wrote about something deeply troubling happening in our politics — and in New York.
Rep. Elise Stefanik continues to falsely claim that New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani is a “jihadist.”
Even Donald Trump rejected Stefanik’s claim during a recent Oval Office meeting, praising Mamdani instead.
But Stefanik doubled down anyway, making it the centerpiece of her run for governor.
As someone who spent nearly 15 years at the CIA and the White House fighting real jihadists, I wrote this piece for one reason:
Rhetoric like Stefanik’s has contributed to a surge in political violence across the country by portraying fellow Americans as as enemies and existential threats. This is what American terrorism looks like today.
I don’t agree with every position Mamdani takes. But he is not a jihadist — and labeling him one puts people at risk. It is the kind of fear-based politics that has already helped fuel violence across this country.
“When Stefanik labels Mamdani a “jihadist,” she weaponizes fear and pours salt into decades-old wounds of a city and state forever changed by Sept. 11, 2001. She is not just wrong — she is encouraging others to see him as a legitimate target.”
You can read the full op-ed here:
👉 https://www.timesunion.com/opinion/article/president-trump-right-mamdani-not-jihadist-21217008.php
More soon,
Matt
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