Former NYC Comptroller Brad Lander is running against incumbent Rep. Dan Goldman for New York’s 10th Congressional District, which includes parts of Boro Park. A debate between the two took place tonight.
Mamdani-endorsed Brad Lander has caused concerns with his statements, as well as the figures he’s chosen to align himself with.
Just last month, Lander recited from the Quran at a mosque in Queens and denounced what he called the “genocide” in Gaza, while also saying he’d vote in Congress against military aid to Israel. The Imam of that mosque has been known to spew particularly violent rhetoric towards “infidels”.
Yesterday, Lander took part in a Jewish & Muslim solidarity rally and canvas for himself, standing alongside people like Mohsen Mahdawi. Mahdawi, a green card holder is a well-known pro-Palestinian protester from Columbia who was recently ordered to be deported to Jordan. He has previously been detained and has faced other deportation orders.
At the rally yesterday, Lander stood proud as Mahdawi praised him for his anti-Israel stances, and for calling for Mahdawi’s release during his detention in 2025.
“He came to my courts and stood up there to stand for justice and liberation,” Mahdawi said, “and to say that weaponizing antisemitism to silence people and to suppress the speech about Palestinians is a crime.”
It’s important to note that ending military aid to Israel doesn’t just mean stopping the sale of weapons. It also means defunding the iron Dome which is crucial for Israel defining itself against missile attacks by its enemies.
