Rep. Elise Stefanik is urging US Well being and Human Companies Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to launch a probe of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s Division of Well being, after staffers allegedly used taxpayers’ assets to launch a “world oppression” working group that accused Israel of genocide.
Stefanik (R-NY), chairwoman of Home Republican Management, particularly requested whether or not the well being company employees violated civil rights regulation barring discrimination by federally funded companies.
“Using federal funds to help or tolerate government-sponsored actions that veer into ideological advocacy or that threat emboldening hate is a grave matter with civil rights and public security implications,” Stefanik mentioned in a Feb. 10 letter to Kennedy.
“Jewish Individuals and all religion communities deserve safety in opposition to discrimination, together with from actions carried out within the identify of public well being.”
Stefanik, who thought-about however declined to run for governor this 12 months, famous that antisemitic hate crimes skyrocketed 182% within the Massive Apple in January in comparison with a 12 months in the past, only one month into Israel critic Mamdani’s mayoralty.
She requested that Kennedy and the HHS inspector basic take the next actions:
- Launch a proper investigation into whether or not federally funded assets, together with employees time, tools or services, had been used to arrange, host or promote the reported International Oppression and Public Well being Working Group assembly from the division’s Queens headquarters.
- Decide if the DOH violated Title VI and associated HHS civil rights necessities, together with whether or not the exercise created or contributed to a hostile surroundings for Jewish workers or members of the general public
- Assess whether or not DOH management or “exterior political officers,” such because the mayor’s workplace, reviewed or accredited the exercise, and whether or not correct grant administration and inside controls had been adopted.
Home Speaker Mike Johnson additionally slammed the politicization of the town’s well being company.
“As a substitute of attempting to drive a radical-left international coverage agenda, the bureaucrats in Zohran Mamdani’s Division of Well being ought to give attention to delivering the companies New Yorkers pay for with their tax {dollars},” Johnson (R-La.) mentioned in a press release on X Tuesday.
The Publish completely revealed final week that DOH staffers had created the “International Oppression and Public Well being Working Group,” which held its first assembly throughout the center of the workday from the company’s HQ in Lengthy Island Metropolis.
“We actually developed in response to the continuing genocide in Palestine,” one presenter studying from the group’s mission assertion mentioned close to the start of the assembly, in line with the video obtained by The Publish.
Mamdani and the well being division have repeatedly declined to touch upon the controversy — which additionally sparked blowback from Metropolis Council Speaker Julie Menin (D-Manhattan).
Appearing Well being Commissioner Dr. Michelle Morse declined to remark when a Publish reporter confronted her following a press convention Wednesday on overdose prevention.
Morse, additionally the division’s chief medical officer, referred The Publish to her spokesperson.
Metropolis Corridor and the well being division had no rapid remark Thursday on Stefanik calling for a federal probe of the company.
