Ex-deputy NYC mayor Randy Mastro and investigative journalist Richard Behar have filed a suit against NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani in the state Supreme Court. The petition was viewed by The Jerusalem Post.
The action stems from the mayor’s alleged “pattern of obstruction” regarding Behar’s two Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) requests for all records pertaining to his mayoral actions relating to antisemitism and Israel.
The First FOIL request specifically sought records relating to Mamdani’s Executive Order 1 to rescind the definition of IHRA antisemitism, despite it being adopted by the US government, over 35 US states, over 90 American cities and counties, and many universities.
Behar is seeking all records explaining Mamdani’s rationale for issuing Executive Order No. 1, records assessing its merits, interoffice communications, research, studies, public impact analyses, and directives.
The Second FOIL request sought records relating to the following: Mamdani’s revocation of an Executive Order by the prior mayor that had banned city agencies from participating in economic warfare (BDS) against Israel; Mamdani’s decision to remove NYC Economic Development Corp webpages promoting the city’s ties with Israeli companies and entrepreneurs; and Mamdani’s vow when running for mayor to terminate the public-private partnership between Cornell University and the Technion in Israel.
Behar submitted the two FOIL requests to the Office of the Mayor of New York City on January 13, 2026, and May 8, 2026.
There has been no response.
Behar describes the city's conduct as 'unlawful'
According to Behar and Mastro, the City’s conduct in response to the FOIL requests is “unlawful,” mainly because under Public Officers Law § 89(3)(a), an agency must acknowledge a FOIL request within five business days and must grant or deny access to the requested records within a reasonable time thereafter, not to exceed 20 business days.
The case has been expedited by state Supreme Court Judge Gerald Lebovits, and the case will be fully submitted to the judge by July 2 and ready for a decision by that point.
Behar told the Post that the backdrop for his demands is the rising antisemitism in the city, something which has arguably worsened under the anti-Israel mayor.
“At a time when antisemitic violence in New York City has reached historic levels, the public has a compelling interest in understanding why Mayor Mamdani chose, as his first official act, to dismantle the very protections his predecessor had put in place to address this crisis.”
Mastro submitted the petition on Behar’s behalf. Mastro was appointed first deputy mayor of New York City by the previous mayor, Eric Adams. As part of this role, Mastro was tasked with overseeing the newly-established Mayor’s Office to Combat Antisemitism.
Before this, he also served as deputy mayor for operations under former mayor Rudy Giuliani.
Judge Lebovits, who will preside over the case, is the son of a Holocaust survivor. In 2019, he wrote a book named Holocaust Houdinis about his family’s story of survival.
ADL findings on the potential impact of New York's divestment from Israel
Earlier this month, the Post reported on new research by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which found that Israel divestment could cost New York City taxpayers more than $37 billion over the next decade.
Carried out with its affiliate, JLens, the ADL report examines the potential impact on the city’s pension funds of investment policies excluding companies that do business in Israel.
The report estimates approximately $37.55 billion in potential forgone value over a 10-year period, assuming a similar performance gap, when applied to the NYC pension funds’ estimated large-cap US public equity allocations (assets invested in large US companies).
“While some in New York, including Mayor Mamdani, have publicly supported the BDS movement,” Jonathan Greenblatt, ADL’s CEO and national director, said, “this analysis highlights the potentially serious financial consequences of applying BDS-aligned divestment strategies to the city’s pension funds.”
“This research shows that divestment strategies guided by the BDS campaign can be bad fiscal policy, and we believe that they risk contributing to an environment where Jewish New Yorkers are already targeted and marginalized,” he said.