New York City could soon find itself in an even worse spot if voters there elect Zohran Mamdani in November, a self-described "Democratic socialist." Democrats, including in Mamdani's state of New York, look to be in disarray over his far-left views and statements, and this could also even create further issues for 2026, such as Gov. Kathy Hochul's reelection battle. Nevertheless, there are Democrats who rush to defend Mamdani, as well as their allies in the mainstream media and fact-checkers.
Shortly before he emerged victorious in the June 24 primary, with former Gov. Andrew Cuomo conceding in the crowded race that always looked to be a two-man race, there was heightened scrutiny on Mamdani's proposals. This is especially but not solely to do with his plans for freezing the rent and city-owned grocery stores, as well as "free" childcare and public transportation. There's also been more out there on his tax plan, including how he wants to tax white neighborhoods at a higher rate.
Mamdani himself has also used phrasing about how the "end goal" is to do with "seizing the means of production."
This is not terrible AI, it's a real message from the current frontrunner for NYC Mayor to his socialist comrades.
— MAZE (@mazemoore) June 30, 2025
"The end goal of seizing the means of production."
I can't believe this is actually happening. pic.twitter.com/KNxQV2QCX7
And yet throughout all of it, Democratic co-panelists have been debating the differences between communism and socialism on CNN, though thankfully Scott Jennings was on to offer reminders about the real concerns to do with Mamdani. There's also the role that PolitiFact plays.
On June 26, as Jeff covered earlier this week, PolitiFact rushed to address President Donald Trump's concerns about Mamdani being a "communist," whom he also vowed to not let destroy the city.
Despite speaking to several so-called "experts," the two people involved in the June 26 fact-check, Ella Moore and Amy Sherman, as well as the third contributor, Caryn Baird, missed the clip from 2020 about Mamdani talking about that "end goal." It was the Trump White House that had to bring it to their attention, which warranted a July 3 editor's note and new fact-check. Don't get too excited, though. The fact-check still rates Trump's concerns as being "False."
A good reminder that Politifact is not a serious or reliable fact-checking organization. pic.twitter.com/bE2JmE8iov
— AG (@AGHamilton29) June 30, 2025
As the update from a week after fact read, complete with a broken link:
EDITOR'S NOTE, July 3: Days after this fact-check’s publication, the White House press office emailed PolitiFact links to a 2020 Mamdani tweet and 2021 video in which Mamdani mentions "seizing the means of production." We re-interviewed several experts about his remarks in this July 3 story. We found the significance of his comment inconclusive and not reflective of his 2025 mayoral platform, so our rating remains unchanged.
That July 3 fact-check is as ridiculous as you'd expect. As the new piece from Sherman offers, "In Context: Zohran Mamdani’s use of phrase ‘seizing the means of production.’ What’s it mean?" The spin is something else. PolitiFact claims to offer "context," yet this "fact-check" fails to go very deep at all.
As Sherman lazily writes in part:
The spokesperson sent us a June 30 New York Post article highlighting Mamdani’s 2021 remarks as a newly elected state assemblyman and a 2020 Mamdani tweet praising a young leader. (We won’t dwell on the latter post because Mamdani’s point isn’t clear.) Fox News, Mediate and CNN pundits flagged his resurfaced remarks.
After reviewing the tape and re-interviewing experts, we decided not to change our False rating. Mamdani’s views in the mayoral race do not reflect communism, and experts found his 2021 remark too brief to reach detailed conclusions.
When it comes to the explainer as to why Trump's warnings are still "false," there's input from college professors:
Throughout his roughly 40-minute remarks, Mamdani praised democratic socialism. The relevant portion of the clip starts around minute 10, when he spoke about acting on an agenda based on conviction of beliefs, whether they are popular or not.
"But then there are also other issues that we firmly believe in, whether it's BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions of Israel), right, or whether it's the end goal of seizing the means of production, where we do not have the same level of support at this very moment.
"And what I want to say is that it is critical that the way that we organize, the way that we set up our you know, set up our work and our priorities, that we do not leave any one issue for the other, that we do not meet a moment and only look at what people are ready for, but that we are doing both of these things in tandem, because it is critical for us to both meet people where they're at and to also organize and organize for what is correct and for what is right and to ensure over time we can bring people to that issue."
Was that a clear call for communism?
Experts in political parties and movements said Mamdani’s passing remark is associated with communism, but it’s hard to say much more about Mamdani’s views because he did not elaborate.
What's even more stunning is the "false" rating was kept in place even when one college professor did express concern about the language that communists do use.
Harvey Klehr, an Emory University emeritus professor of politics and history is quoted in part as offering that "there is no way of telling exactly what Mamdani means by using that phrase, but it is redolent of authoritarian communists’ language."
We don't need an emeritus professor to remind us how "seizing the means of production" is associated with communist ideology under its father, Karl Marx, who also wrote "The Communist Manifesto." Apparently that's still not enough for PolitiFact to do a thorough enough fact-check, though.
PolitFact also shared the post over X and the ensuing ratio was quite a sight to behold. There's been over 700 replies mocking the fact-check, and less than 100 likes since it was posted for the 4th of July holiday. Amy Curtis at our sister site of Twitchy also highlighted some of the best responses.
Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist, in 2021 used the phrase “seizing the means of production.” He did not elaborate on that and we could not find evidence that it was part of his 2025 New York City mayoral platform.https://t.co/nV9U0lrrAS
— PolitiFact (@PolitiFact) July 4, 2025
Thanks for cementing any remaining dfoubt that @Politifact is a. shill for socialists, leftist and communists, posing as a fact checking site
— Tony Bruno Show (@TonyBrunoShow) July 4, 2025
It is of course wild how PolitiFact is running cover for Mamdani declaring the need to “seize the means of production”, but don’t sleep on PolitiFact running cover for Mamdani saying a Communist Marxist is the kind of mayor NYC needs (PolitiFact says “we won’t dwell on” that). https://t.co/2mdL0resJQ pic.twitter.com/PTL83VcjRa
— Jerry Dunleavy IV 🇺🇸 (@JerryDunleavy) July 4, 2025
It’s pretty clear what he meant, and his goal of municipal-owned grocery stores is part of his 2025 platform.
— The Narcissist Element (@seeemmeffell) July 4, 2025
Issue a correction. Now. pic.twitter.com/sbAgQXmVTg
Such selective fact-checking is not entirely surprising from PolitiFact. Last month, in a column posted to Townhall days before the New York City mayoral primary, Tim Graham pointed out how the "fact-checker" has a penchant for going after Trump while giving so many Democrats a free pass. This is despite how there's been plenty of recent examples for them to address.
Bringing this back to Mamdani, though, PolitiFact isn't the only one so clearly and pathetically rushing to Mamdani's defense. Again, Scott Jennings had to go up against a panel discussion mostly involving liberals defending Mamdani during Thursday's episode of "CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip."
In addition to giving such panelists a platform, CNN earlier this week put out a post resulting in a ratio of their own for how Mamdani's plan city-owned grocery stores may be "contentious," but that it's "less radical than critics portray," so-called experts claim.
Zohran Mamdani, the favorite to become New York City's next mayor after winning the Democratic primary, has a contentious plan to create a network of city-owned grocery stores. But it's less radical than critics portray, some food policy and grocery industry experts say.…
— CNN (@CNN) June 30, 2025
