Democrat rejects Mamdani as member of party, accuses socialists of attempting to 'hijack' message

Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., said Wednesday he does not see New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani a Democrat, arguing nan Democratic socialist – and others for illustration him – are attempting to "hijack" nan statement and propulsion it distant from its accepted values.

"He's not a Democrat, he's socialist, and we cognize that nan full socialist activity is attempting to hijack nan Democratic Party and galore of their values are not our values," Gottheimer said connected "America's Newsroom."

"We cognize that he's against constabulary and came retired beardown against rule enforcement and [has] travel retired powerfully against prisons successful nan United States, and they want to destruct nan United States Senate," he continued.

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Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks astatine a rally successful New York alongside 1199SEIU members and migration advocates aft nan Supreme Court ruled nan Trump management tin revoke protections for Haitians and Syrians. (Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)

"They person tons of views which are not successful statement pinch Democratic values. They're very anti-American, anti-Democratic, anti-capitalist, truthful asking maine to understand a batch of their thinking, I can't."

The New Jersey Democrat's remarks came arsenic he criticized Mamdani's defense of his promise to grant an International Criminal Court (ICC) apprehension warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he were to sojourn New York City this year.

Despite making it a shelter of his campaign, Mamdani later fell backmost connected nan push to arrest Netanyahu, admitting he lacks nan authority to do so.

MAMDANI GOES BACK ON CAMPAIGN PROMISE, SAYS NYC CAN'T ARREST NETANYAHU

Congressman Josh Gottheimer (Democrat) speaks astatine a property convention to reside congestion pricing astatine nan rima of nan Lincoln Tunnel. (Photo by Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Mamdani alternatively called connected the national government to execute nan ICC's apprehension warrant if nan Israeli leader pays a sojourn to nan Big Apple.

"The politician is intelligibly obsessed pinch this issue. He should astir apt beryllium a small much obsessed pinch making judge that his metropolis is moving good and that he's picking up nan trash and fixing nan potholes," Gottheimer said.

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"What shocks maine astir each of this is nan double standard. We've sewage Iranian leadership that person been successful New York. Obviously, Iran [is] a apical force of nan United States of America, nan authorities location [is] sidesplitting Americans, including soldiers... I don't understand. He doesn't spell aft them," he added.

The New York City mayor's agency directed Fox News Digital to responses Mamdani made during an unrelated property convention Wednesday, successful which he defended his push for Netanyahu's arrest.

"I made very clear, arsenic I person before, that my liking successful executing that warrant is not circumstantial to Benjamin Netanyahu, but to anyone who they put a warrant towards for warfare crimes and crimes against humanity," he answered successful part.

"And portion of that is simply a reflection of a cosmopolitan politics, and it is from a cosmopolitan authorities that I tin look [at] October 7th and picture it for what it is, which is simply a horrific warfare crime. I tin besides look astatine Benjamin Netanyahu and spot nan measurement that he has orchestrated this genocide and besides deem him to likewise beryllium a warfare criminal, and I think, particularly astatine a clip erstwhile location are those successful Washington who are discussing measures to return isolated nan International Criminal Court, what truthful galore are looking for is simply a consciousness that location is, successful fact, a norm of rule crossed the—where location are crimes that are truthful sedate that they offend each of humanity. And... I judge that we should clasp those who perpetrate them accountable."