Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Enraging’ Anti-Cop Comments Leave Former Dem Advisor ‘Almost Speechless’ Liz Peek
Former Democratic Party advisor Dan Turrentine has strongly criticized New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani for his resurfaced comments about law enforcement, calling them “enraging.” According to Fox News, Turrentine expressed concern over the potential impact of Mamdani’s comments on public safety and urged the Democratic Party to “condemn” them.
The controversy centers on remarks Mamdani made during a 2020 appearance on the “Immigrantly” podcast. In the interview, Mamdani argued that the history of the New York Police Department (NYPD) demonstrates a system that “functions in many ways to punish poor Black and Brown people.” He suggested that police often overstep their roles, including in situations involving homelessness and domestic violence. Mamdani suggested that many scenarios—such as handling a homeless person on a train or responding to domestic violence—would be better addressed by professionals other than armed police officers.
These comments have recently gone viral, drawing sharp criticism from both Republicans and Democrats. Turrentine, who previously worked for Hillary Clinton and Colorado Governor Jared Polis, voiced his frustration on “The Morning Meeting” podcast. He described Mamdani’s views as “crazy” and said he hoped the Democratic Party would condemn them. Turrentine emphasized the risks police face in New York City and argued that the NYPD has made significant progress in reducing crime, recalling the city’s transformation from a “hellhole” to a more stable environment in recent years.
“I’m almost speechless. Like, that is so enraging,” Turrentine said. “It’s crazy. I hope it hurts him. Like, when I hear that, and I try to have an open mind, hope that whoever our next mayor is makes this city a great place. I live [here]. We have children here. New York City police officers put themselves in such harm’s way. This city is full of crazy people on subways. I, our children go on it. The number of times that there are homeless people who are, like, out of their mind who come up to kids, who scream at them right near – to say the police are the [problem], I hope our party condemns him.”
Podcast co-host Mark Halperin questioned whether Mamdani’s stance—that police should not respond to domestic violence calls—would harm his campaign. Former Trump Press Secretary Sean Spicer, also a co-host, criticized the idea of replacing police with social workers in violent situations, arguing that victims need protection, not just counseling.
“If someone is being brutalized, attacked, you want someone who can protect you, stop them. And this just shows the stupidity that is being perpetrated on folks right now,” Spicer said. “I don’t want someone to come in and ask them about their feelings. I want them to protect me.”
Mamdani, who recently won the Democratic primary in New York City, has faced additional scrutiny for refusing to disavow the phrase “globalize the intifada,” which some interpret as a call for violence. His campaign has focused on socialist policies such as fare-free public transit, rent freezes, and expanding social services, and his positions on policing have become another focal point of criticism.
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