NYC Councilwoman Vernikov Threatens To Block Non-Profit Funding Over Mamdani Handshake

Things got heated in New York City's political scene this week when a video popped up showing Jewish community activist Mark Meyer Appel shaking hands with Zohran Mamdani, the socialist state assemblyman running for mayor who's been a vocal pro-Palestinian voice and is now leading the pack in the race.

Brooklyn Republican Councilwoman Inna Vernikov, a fierce Israel advocate from District 48, didn't hold back. She jumped on X (formerly Twitter) on August 12 to slam the moment, vowing to withhold her share of city funding (about $810,000 this year) from any nonprofits cozying up to Mamdani, whom she called a "Hamas sympathizer" and "October 7th apologist."

"I know it may not be much, but just a small PSA for the orgs who will be seeking discretionary funding from me for the next four years: In my discretion, I will NOT fund organizations whose leadership supports Hamas sympathizers and October 7th apologists," Vernikov posted. "So if you want to be like @MarkMeyerAppel, and support or do photo ops with @ZohranKMamdani, don’t even bother calling." She even accused Appel of "commie/jihadi kissing."

Vernikov stuck to her guns in an interview with the New York Post on August 16, saying, "If someone allows themselves to be in a photo with Mamdani, they’re either supporting him or pandering to him. Either way, I will defund them."

The clip, shared on X, caught the handshake at a community event focused on affordable housing at Brooklyn's Flatbush Gardens Community Center. Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist of America member from Queens' District 36, has made waves with his sharp takes on Israel – boycotting a lawmakers' trip there and labeling it an "apartheid state." His bid for mayor is picking up steam amid hot debates on U.S. stances toward Israel and Gaza.

Appel, who runs the Flatbush nonprofit The Bridge Multicultural and Advocacy Project helping with substance abuse and domestic violence, pushed back, saying it wasn't an endorsement at all. "The reason why we have so much hate in New York is because we don’t talk to each other," he told the Post. He highlighted his group's years of community work and pointed out they'd snagged $60,000 in City Council cash this year, none of it from Vernikov. Plus, Appel made it clear he's backing Mayor Eric Adams for re-election, not jumping on Mamdani's bandwagon.

The dust-up has folks from all sides weighing in. Some Democratic insiders called Vernikov's threats over the top, with one telling the Post, "How can you make a blanket statement that you’re not giving a group money but because someone appears in a photo op?" Queens Republican and Council Minority Leader Joann Ariola stayed neutral on Vernikov's words but stressed that nonprofits should stick to "helping New York, not on illegal performative activism."

This isn't Vernikov's first rodeo in these fights. Right after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, she got arrested at a rally clashing with pro-Palestinian protesters while geared up and packing a gun on her hip. Gun possession charges came her way, but they got dropped when prosecutors found the weapon was useless, missing its firing pin. She walked away totally cleared.

All this drama spotlights the growing splits in NYC over Israel, Gaza, and keeping Jewish communities safe, especially with the mayor's race heating up. Now, nonprofits and activists are under the microscope for who they rub shoulders with, and it could hit their wallets hard through those funding calls. While Vernikov's backers say hanging with Mamdani hurts Jewish causes, her critics claim she's turning city money into a tool to shut down conversations and differing views.