NYC socialist who opposes billionaires takes money from hedge fund heiress
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The daughter of the late billionaire hedge fund manager, Jamie Simons, has recently made a significant contribution to a super PAC supporting New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, known for his socialist views and stance against billionaires.
Elizabeth Simons, a philanthropist, donated $250,000 to the Mamdani-aligned New Yorkers for Lower Costs PAC, making it the largest contribution received by the PAC this cycle, as reported by the New York Post.
Her father, Jamie Simons, amassed a fortune of $31.4 billion through his successful hedge fund, Renaissance Technologies, and dedicated a significant portion of his wealth to charitable causes.
“I don’t think that we should have billionaires because, frankly, it is so much money in a moment of such inequality, and ultimately, what we need more of is equality across our city and across our state and across our country,” Mamdani told NBC News in June.
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New York City Socialist Mayor Candidate Zohran Mamdanni (Deirdre Heavey/Fox News Digital)
The news of Simons’ support for Mamdani drew criticism on social media, including from Mamdani’s opponent, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
“Congrats to you, @ZohranKMamdani for completing the holy trinity of hypocrisy: Eat the rich → Cash their PAC checks,” Cuomo posted on X. “Freeze the rent → Rich guy in affordable housing you don’t need. Defund the police → Armed guards worldwide… from the campaign trail to Uganda. You are what you pretend to fight.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the Mamdani campaign and New Yorkers for Lower Costs PAC for a comment on the donation but did not receive a response from either party.
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BEVERLY HILLS, CA – MAY 04: Chair of the board of the Heising-Simons Foundation Elizabeth Simons speaks onstage at the 2016 Milken Institute Global Conference on May 04, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Getty Images)
Mamdani has been a vocal critic of billionaires throughout his campaign, advocating for affordability and cost of living for the working class in New York City.
“We’re reaching New Yorkers who’ve been ignored by establishment politicians and crushed by the billionaire class,” Mamdani posted on X in March. “Our grassroots momentum will carry us over the finish line in June.”
New York City Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani closed out his “Five Boroughs Against Trump” tour across New York City in Queens on Friday. (Deirdre Heavey/Fox News Digital)
Mamdani has also called out Cuomo for accepting donations from billionaires, stating on X in June, “We live in the most expensive city in the United States. Cuomo’s billionaire donors want it that way. But we have an agenda to make life affordable.”
