WASHINGTON — A Senate panel is deepening its probe into New York City Zohran Mamdani’s administration over the creation of a health department “Global Oppression Working Group,” first exposed by The Post, that accused Israel of genocide and downplayed Hamas’ role in initiating the Gaza war.
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) wrote another letter to mayor on Monday, noting recent comments from Health Commissioner Dr. Alister Martin raise questions about whether Mamdani’s administration is acting “consistent with federal law.”
Cassidy, who chairs the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, suggested that the Department of Health’s receipt of $600 million in federal funding every year may be at odds with “conditions” imposed by the government.
“Prioritizing a political agenda over compliance with these requirements risks both federal funding and the public health of New York City residents,” he added. “Federal taxpayers should have confidence that funds intended to support public health services are administered in compliance with those obligations.”
The letter demands more information about the working group, what sort of “specific federally funded resources” it’s receiving and whether the Mamdani administration is determining whether it has met “federal nondiscrimination requirements.”
“What steps, if any, is your administration taking to reassure New Yorkers that taxpayer dollars remain focused on promoting public health and are not being diverted to push a political agenda that singles out the State of Israel?” Cassidy also asked the mayor directly.
Martin in an interview with NY1 acknowledged there was “pretty specific evidence that the federal government is not a fan of the work that we’re doing on equity” — but brushed off that it would cause any issues with funding and declared his department was “not gonna stop doing that work on equity” even if the federal government “comes and messes with our money.”
Cassidy first wrote to Mamdani in early February to express concern about the “rescission of executive orders related to antisemitism and boycotts of Israel.”
“Decisions by your administration that weaken established safeguards for Jewish students in New York and are out of alignment with federal executive orders warrant careful scrutiny,” Cassidy warned, highlighting the voided orders that “created the Mayor’s Office to Combat Antisemitism to identify and develop efforts to eliminate antisemitism and anti-Jewish hate crime,” and opposed anti-boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) policies.
The initial letter was sent was one day after DOH staffers held the first “Global Oppression and Public Health Working Group” meeting, where one presenter noted, “We really developed in response to the ongoing genocide in Palestine.”
Another said “the working group aims to address the growing interests among the health department staff to learn about current and ongoing global oppression in its many forms and how it influences the advancement of health equity.”
No presenters or attendees mentioned Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack that killed 1,200 — including dozens of Americans — in Israel, according to a transcript of the meeting and a source who was present.
Cassidy’s most recent missive on March 23 asks whether other “ethnic or national groups affected by global geopolitical conflicts” will be provided access to “separate working groups” — “or whether the Department’s sole interest is in denouncing the Israeli Palestinian conflict to the exclusion of all others.”
The Senate GOP chairman has asked for a response to all his queries by April 6.
It’s unclear whether Mamdani replied to the previous letter.
Reps for his office and the city health department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
