George J. Marlin is not the only Newsmax columnist to have meltdowns over New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani. Ken Buck groused in a June 1 column:
In April, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani filmed a video flouting a newly proposed “pied-a-terre” tax — a fancy name for even more property taxes, this time on the city’s high-end homes.
In the video, the mayor specifically calls out “this penthouse, which hedge fund CEO Ken Griffin bought for $238 million.”
Spiking the ball on your opponent is rarely prudent political calculus, especially when you are touting rotten policy. This one bounced right back in Mamdani’s face.
Only days after the video was released, Mr. Griffin’s company, Citadel, sent city officials a letter stating that it might reconsider a $6 billion development.
The project is expected to create 6,000 construction jobs and support another 15,000 permanent jobs in midtown Manhattan.
Buck didn’t mention that Griffin’s $238 million penthouse is the most expensive residential transaction in history — or that Griffin doesn’t even live there full-time, or that it’s even his only residential property in New York City. Ultimately, Griffin went forward with his redevelopment.
Buck didn’t explain why Griffin should not pay his fair share on a residence that isn’t even his primary one. Instead, he went on a tirade against non-right-wingers:
The left would love to have voters believe that their attempts to shake down high earners is some noble cause.
It’s not.
It’s merely another ploy to fund their socialist agenda — which is quickly running coffers dry. Their goal isn’t to protect middle-class America; it is to amass power for themselves.
America was built on the principles of free-market competition, which makes our country the envy of the world. Making money isn’t a crime; it’s good for our communities.
As much as Democrats might hate to admit it, they need successful individuals to fund their radical agenda, even as they demonize them.
Buck didn’t mention that the fact that Griffin can afford to spend hundreds of millions on a secondary residence — and thus can easily afford the taxes on it.