Press Releases

Andrew Cuomo Calls Out Mamdani’s Dangerous Support for Decriminalizing Prostitution

A dangerous measure that if passed would only lead to the further exploitation of the most vulnerable and empower human traffickers, street gangs and organized crime.

"This is a direct danger to public safety, though given Mamdani’s record of supporting defunding the NYPD, seeking to limit their authority for even responding to domestic violence calls, and branding police as racist, anti-queer, and a threat to public safety, it shouldn’t be too surprising this is his position."

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, candidate for New York City mayor, released the below statement on Zorhan Mamdani’s long standing support for legislation decriminalizing prostitution.

“For years, Zorhan Mamdani has co-sponsored legislation to decriminalize prostitution – a dangerous measure that if passed would only lead to the further exploitation of the most vulnerable and empower human traffickers, street gangs and organized crime.

“As governor I spent years fighting this bill.

“The city is already grappling with shutting down the ‘Market of Sweethearts’ in Queens and other known hot spots plagued with prostitution, crime and rampant violence and legalizing this human misery industry would create a ‘Market of Sweethearts’ in every corner of New York.  

“This is a direct danger to public safety, though given Mamdani’s record of supporting defunding the NYPD, seeking to limit their authority for even responding to domestic violence calls, and branding police as racist, anti-queer, and a threat to public safety, it shouldn’t be too surprising this is his position. It is also a key part of the Democratic Socialists of America platform, an organization of which he is a proud member.

The legislation tries to split hairs, legalizing ‘some’ prostitution, but keeping trafficking laws on the books, but it's -at best - naive.

“Mark my words: This is the real world and if passed, this legislation will open the floodgates. Mamdani may not remember the bad old days of New York City, where Times Square was seedy and crime infested and New Yorkers knew which neighborhoods to avoid at all costs. We do and no one should be eager to return to that era.

"We need to do more to help those exploited and forced into prostitution and New York must be leading the fight against human traffickers, not making it easier for them.”

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