A NYC councilwoman warned nonprofits to look elsewhere for funding if they support socialist mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani or others “Hamas sympathizers.”
Brooklyn Republican and staunch Zionist Inna Vernikov made the vow Tuesday regarding her share of council members’ annual discretionary funds – which this fiscal year total $810,000 – in response to video posted on X of Jewish activist Mark Meyer Appel shaking hands with the pro-Palestine Mamdani.
“I know it may not be much, but just a small PSA [Public Service Announcement] for the orgs who will be seeking discretionary funding from me for the next four years: In my discretion, I will NOT fund organizations whose leadership supports Hamas sympathizers and October 7th apologists,” Vernikov said on X.
NYC Councilwoman Inna Vernikov issued a stern declaration to nonprofits who support socialist mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani or anyone else she believes is “sympathetic” to Hamas terrorists – no political pork for you. Stephen Yang“So if you want to be like @MarkMeyerAppel, and support or do photo ops with @Zohran Mamdani, don’t even bother calling,” she added, accusing Appel of “commie/jihadi a– kissing.”
And she doubled down Friday, telling The Post “If someone allows themselves to be in a photo with Mamdani, they’re either supporting him or pandering to him.”
“Either way, I will defund them,” she said.
Some Democratic Council sources contended Vernikov’s remarks were over the top.
“How can you make a blanket statement that you’re not giving a group money but because someone appears in a photo op?” a source said.
Vernikov doubled down on her remarks Friday, telling The Post, “If someone allows themselves to be in a photo with Mamdani, they’re either supporting him or pandering to him. Either way, I will defund them.” Stephen YangCouncil Minority Leader Joann Ariola (R-Queens) wouldn’t comment on Vernikov’s rhetoric but said nonprofits should be apolitical.
Mamdani (pictured, shaking the hand of a supporter) went to the Flatbush Gardens Community Center Tuesday to talk about ways he’ll look to boost affordable housing if he’s elected NYC mayor. Gregory P. Mango“They should be focused on their goals of helping New York, not on illegal performative activism,” she said.
Appel’s Flatbush-based group, The Bridge Multicultural and Advocacy Project, scored $60,000 in political pork from the Council in this fiscal year’s budget, but none from Vernikov, records show.
Appel told The Post he plans to back Mayor Eric Adams’ re-election bid – and not Mamdani’s campaign. He also said he believes Vernikov’s remarks were unnecessary because his group never asked her for money, and “she knows very well the good work we do.”
“The reason why we have so much hate in New York is because we don’t talk to each other,” Appel said.
