Today, the New York Young Republican Club formally calls on the 119th United States Congress to use the Insurrection Clause to bar Zohran K. Mamdani, Democratic Candidate for Mayor in New York City, from holding public office. As is thoroughly detailed in our letter (which is available to read at the link), the Fourteenth Amendment plainly disqualifies Mamdani from being elected mayor, because of the aid and comfort he gives to America’s enemies. Ratified in the aftermath of the Civil War, the Insurrection Clause (aka the Disqualification Clause) was a common sense measure designed to ban America’s enemies from occupying her government. Congress should enforce it today.
“What do we do about Zohran Mamdani?” asked Stefano L. Forte, President of the New York Young Republican Club. “It’s the question every patriotic American has asked since his primary win. With a circus of a general election and no serious challenger in sight, the NYYRC is stepping in with a bold solution: disqualify the insurrectionist. Our Recording Secretary, Phil Leggio, has laid out the legal framework to end this madness once and for all. Zohran isn’t just a radical—he’s offering safe harbor to our Nation’s enemies. The NYYRC’s master plan is the only viable path forward.”
It is clear that Mamdani has given “aid or comfort to the enemies” of the United States. By refusing to enforce federal laws that mandate the removal of Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs), if he were elected mayor, Mamdani gives meaningful support to violent gangs that terrorize New Yorkers. On the first day of his second term, President Donald J. Trump directed the U.S. Department of State to designate Tren de Aragua (TdA) and MS-13 as SDGTs, which they did on February 20. Despite this, Mamdani promised to “kick the fascist ICE out of New York City” and pledged not to enforce federal immigration law. Preventing the execution of the laws of the United States is a key aspect of insurrection.
Mamdani also regularly appeared at rallies supporting Hamas, a Foreign Terrorist Organization that killed 44 Americans on or around October 7, 2023, and held a dozen more hostage. While American citizens sat captive in the tunnels of Gaza, Mamdani rallied to support their captors. Even today, he refuses to disavow the “globalization of the intifada” – the call for a violent Islamic revolution. The “global” aspect of it would seem to include New York City, where he seeks to be mayor. The plain text of the Insurrection Clause denies such an enemy of the United States from “hold[ing] any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State.”
“The New York Young Republican Club, under Stefano Forte’s leadership, will always put America first,” said Recording Secretary Philip J. Leggio. “That includes protecting New York City from those who seek to destroy it. Most notably of those actively engaged in efforts to destroy our city—and, in turn, America—is Zohran Mamdani. We therefore respectfully urge Congress to hold Mamdani accountable for affirmatively providing aid and comfort to our country’s enemies. Such actions include refusing to cooperate with U.S. ICE agents seeking to find and arrest Foreign Terrorist Organizations MS-13 and Tren de Aragua, who are hiding among the many illegal immigrants within our city. Mamdani had taken an oath to support the U.S. Constitution. He has broken that promise. Mamdani must immediately be disqualified from ever holding office again.”
Leggio’s memo also drew support from within Congress itself. “Some of the sharpest and most courageous leaders in the Republican Party are members of the New York Young Republican Club,” said Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24). “The bold work of this outstanding group is critical to our party and the future of New York State. Zohran Mamdani is a threat to the safety and financial wellbeing of every New Yorker, and his long history of giving aid to enemies of the United States like pro-Hamas terrorist organizations, violent anti-law enforcement groups and Marxists is deeply disturbing and potentially disqualifies him from running for Mayor of New York. Our office is closely reviewing the legal memo produced by NYYRC demanding the disqualification of Mamdani as Mayor. As a member of the New York State Bar and Member of Congress, I will faithfully uphold my oath of office to defend America from enemies both foreign and domestic.”
“Zohran Mamdani is an enemy of capitalism, federalism, and the American way of life,” said Rep. Marlin Stutzman (IN-3). “His calls to stand in the way of federal law enforcement, and to install a socialist economic system in New York City, fly in the face of the oath he took when becoming a New York State Assemblyman. By violating that oath, he has disqualified himself from running under the 14th Amendment. Zohran must be removed from the ballot immediately.”
In short, the Insurrection Clause is a common sense measure banning America’s enemies from participating in its governance. As Zohran Mamdani has repeatedly given aid and comfort to enemies of the United States, and still refuses to disavow these beliefs, he is forbidden by the Constitution from holding public office. As such, the New York Young Republican Club calls on Congress to use its 14th Amendment, Section 5, powers to disqualify Zohran Mamdani from being elected Mayor of New York City. The legal case against Mamdani is open and shut, and Congress should apply its stamp of approval.