Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo (right) criticized Zohran Mamdani's (left) policies, telling business leaders that socialism already failed New York City when Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., (center) and progressive leaders rejected Amazon's plan to open a headquarters in Long Island City. (Rashid Umar Abbasi/Fox News Digital; J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo; Al Drago/Getty Images)
"My opponent's proposal to provide free everything funded by raising taxes is pure ideological fantasy," Cuomo said during his opening remarks.
ZOHRAN MAMDANI’S POLICIES 'WON'T WORK' IN NEW YORK, ANDREW CUOMO ARGUES
And Cuomo is pointing to one consequential business flop as proof that socialism has no place in the capitalist capital.
"We are a financial and commercial capital. We are a regulated capitalist economy," Cuomo said, clearly criticizing Mamdani's self-identified "Democratic socialist" policies and distaste for capitalism.
During his tenure as governor, Cuomo courted Amazon to build its second headquarters in New York, personally urging founder and CEO Jeff Bezos to choose Long Island City and offering billions in state and city incentives, along with infrastructure and workforce commitments to seal the deal.
But the deal was met with mounting backlash from community activists and progressive lawmakers, such as Ocasio-Cortez, who rejected the estimated $2.5 billion in incentives for Amazon.
New York City Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani speaks to supporters at a canvass launch event in Prospect Park on Aug. 17, 2025. (Deirdre Heavey/Fox News Digital)
During Mamdani's remarks at the business forum on Wednesday, the socialist candidate quoted Bezos, whom he described as "a man whose tax burden I would love to significantly raise."
"Jeff once said — not to me personally, but in public — ‘You have to be willing to be misunderstood if you’re going to innovate.’ And make no mistake, my friends: when I am mayor, this city is going to innovate," Mamdani told the room of New York City business leaders.
But Mamdani's plans to raise taxes on corporations and the top 1% of New Yorkers to pay for ambitious campaign promises, like free buses, free childcare and city-run grocery stores, have triggered skepticism among the business community.
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Cuomo, in particular, has seized on that skepticism in the race for Gracie Mansion, telling business leaders on Wednesday that "now is the moment for New York City to regain the crown as the greatest city on the globe."
Mamdani and Ocasio-Cortez did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's requests for comment.
Deirdre Heavey is a politics writer for Fox News Digital.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/cuomo-rips-mamdanis-freebie-fantasy-says-aoc-proved-socialism-fails-after-killing-nyc-amazon-deal