Ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo refused to condemn state Assembly Speaker and longtime ally Carl Heastie for torpedoing a bipartisan bill that would have commemorated Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 terror attack on the Jewish state.
Cuomo, the frontrunner heading into the June 24 NYC Democratic mayoral primary, told The Post Saturday he was unaware of the bill or that the Bronx pol went to extraordinary lengths to ensure it didn’t reach the Assembly floor for a vote.
“I don’t know how it happened, but I have no doubt that the Democrats in the Legislature would all honor the memory of Oct. 7 and stand in unity in honoring Oct. 7,” he insisted after leaving the Attneu Synagogue on the Upper East Side, where he addressed members of its congregation.
Although Cuomo wasn’t willing to attack Heastie, he quickly jabbed Queens Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani — a socialist who has been polling second only to the former governor in the Democratic mayoral primary race.
“The Democratic Party is 100% in support of the Jewish community, and I’m sure would stand in solidarity in condemning Oct. 7,” he said. “Democratic socialists, Zohran Mamdani, that’s a different story.”
“The outlier is Zoran Mamdani and the Democratic socialists who said they won’t visit Israel, who said they don’t acknowledge Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state, but he does not represent the majority of Democrats in the city,” said Cuomo.
Cuomo said he personally “100% support[s]” commemorating Oct. 7.
The bill, sponsored in February by Brooklyn Republican Assemblyman Lester Chang, would enshrine Oct. 7 alongside other days of commemoration in the Empire State, such as “Rosa Parks Day” and “Susan B. Anthony Day.”
Sources told The Post Friday they believe Heastie, the most powerful Democrat in the Assembly, likely didn’t want a bill with a Republican as its primary sponsor to reach the floor for a vote, even though 13 Democrats have already signed on as co-sponsors.
Chang said he’d let a Democrat take over as the bill’s sponsor if it meant the measure would pass.
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