Mamdani doubles down on Ken Griffin attack despite Citadel’s threat to pull $6 billion NYC project

Mayor Zohran Mamdani stands firm on his stance!

Mayor Zohran Mamdani showed no signs of regret on Friday for featuring billionaire Ken Griffin in a viral video promoting a proposed pied-á-terre tax.

When asked if he had any regrets about calling out Griffin specifically in the video filmed in front of the Citadel founder’s 24,000-square-foot property on Central Park South, Mamdani evaded the question during a press conference in Brooklyn.

“That home, when it was purchased, was the most expensive home in the United States of America, publicly reported, and it was described as such,” Mamdani said when pushed by reporters.

“And in a political environment where there is always an attempt to describe any increase in taxes as if it would be one that would apply to all, we wanted to make very clear that this applies to a very select group of properties,” he added.

This back-and-forth with Griffin was sparked by Mamdani’s controversial April 15 video where he proclaimed, “today, we’re taxing the rich.”

He then highlighted Griffin’s Manhattan penthouse as one of the properties that would be impacted by Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposed tax on multi-million dollar secondary homes in New York City.

Griffin, however, was not pleased, with a top executive at his fund criticizing the mayor’s comments in a strongly worded email — and hinting at potentially halting a $6 billion development project in Midtown.

“From his comments, it is apparent that the Mayor’s view is that these individuals do not contribute enough to the greater good,” Citadel COO Gerald Beeson wrote in the email obtained by The Post.

“It is shameful that he used Ken’s name as the example of those who supposedly aren’t carrying their fair share of the burdens associated with New York City’s often costly and wasteful spending,” he continued.

“In doing so, the Mayor has once again manifested the ignorance and disdain of the elite political class towards those who have been consistently committed to building one of the greatest cities in the world.”

Beeson also hinted that Citadel may reconsider moving forward with its redevelopment project of 350 Park Avenue, which he claimed would bring 6,000 construction jobs and over 15,000 permanent positions in Midtown.

“The project – if we move forward – will entail more than $6 billion dollars of spending,” he wrote.

When asked about the possibility of Citadel reversing its decision on the project, Mamdani expressed his desire for all New Yorkers, including Griffin, to succeed.

“I want New Yorkers to succeed. I want them to build businesses, to grow our economy and to create good paying jobs. And Ken Griffin has been a part of that. He’s an important employer and business leader in our city, and as I do with every New Yorker, I do want him to succeed,  as mayor,” he stated.

“I will continue to work with business leaders, including Mr. Griffin, as partners in building a city that continues to be the economic engine, not just of this state, but also of this country,” he continued — before shifting the focus to what he referred to as the nation’s “fundamentally broken” tax system.

When asked if he had any regrets about mentioning Griffin in the video and if he would be open to meeting with the CEO, Mamdani only addressed the latter, saying he would be willing to have a conversation with him, “as I’d be happy to speak with many business leaders across the city.”

“We all want this city to succeed, and that is something that I’m committed to, no matter a question of unanimity on every single political issue,” he emphasized.

He also evaded the question when asked if he had reached out to Griffin, instead stating that New Yorkers were facing “a generational fiscal crisis” greater than the 2008 recession.

Mamdani reiterated his goal of balancing the city’s budget “in a manner that asks the wealthiest and most profitable corporations to pay a little bit more so that everyone can afford to live in the city.”

“And that means Ken Griffin, and that means so many others across the city, and that also means those who would love to join us,” he concluded.

Mamdani addressed the question of regret once more — especially in light of the assassination of another executive, United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Midtown in 2024 — with the reporter noting that he had stopped mentioning Griffin by name since posting the video.

The mayor explained that he wanted to highlight the “very select group of properties” that would be affected by the pied-à-terre tax.

“And the reason that I gave other examples of this is that this piece of legislation is not motivated by any one individual. Rather, it is one that applies broadly without exception,” he clarified. “And so the next day, I spoke about a Saudi prince who bought an apartment for $90 million and a Russian auto dealer who bought an apartment for close to $30 million in cash.

“I say these things not because I do not want these individuals to be here in New York City or to purchase property in New York City,” he stressed, “but rather to outline that we are talking about a proposal that will have a very narrow impact, and one that is being driven by an intention to ensure that everyone can remain in the city, including those that are taxed.”