Mamdani campaign aide recorded dismissing police views in undercover video

Caught on hidden camera, a key staffer for Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral campaign has sparked controversy with flippant remarks about police, wealthy elites, and political tactics that could haunt the progressive candidate’s bid for broader support, the NY Post reported. 

Robert Akleh, citywide canvass manager for Mamdani’s campaign, was secretly filmed by conservative commentator Steven Crowder, revealing a dismissive attitude toward law enforcement and detailing aggressive campaign strategies while making derogatory comments about various groups.

This undercover footage, recorded over multiple occasions in August and September at bars and other locations, shows Akleh brushing off police opinions with a cavalier tone that raises questions about the campaign’s respect for essential city workers.

Disrespectful Remarks on Law Enforcement

When asked about police views on Mamdani, Akleh didn’t mince words, stating, “Who gives a s–t what they think?” as reported in the footage released by Crowder.

That kind of language isn’t just bold—it’s a slap in the face to officers who risk their lives daily, and it’s hard to see how such sentiments align with governing a city that relies on law enforcement for public safety.

Akleh doubled down, describing police as mere “city employees” who should just follow orders without opinions, a stance that feels more like disdain than diplomacy.

Campaign Tactics and Political Maneuvering

Beyond the police comments, Akleh revealed campaign tactics that sound more like a chess game than a democratic process, including organizing Muslim voters through mosques and even deploying specific volunteers for outreach.

He described efforts to secure endorsements from powerful figures like Gov. Kathy Hochul, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, and state Sen. Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, claiming, “We have the governor. We have the assembly. The state senate will bend too.”

While political strategy is fair game, boasting about bending institutions to one’s will doesn’t exactly scream humility or coalition-building—qualities a mayoral hopeful might want to prioritize.

Broader Targets and Past Controversies

Akleh’s remarks weren’t limited to law enforcement; he took shots at billionaires, referencing the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson as a sign of public frustration with the wealthy elite.

He also criticized “Israel-supporting” Democrats and made tangential jabs at Gov. Hochul, painting a picture of a campaign unafraid to alienate potential allies in pursuit of a progressive agenda.

Meanwhile, Mamdani himself has been working to mend fences, recently apologizing on Fox News for past tweets from 2020 that labeled police as a threat to safety and called for defunding the agency.

Campaign Response and Akleh’s Role

Despite the controversy, Mamdani’s campaign has kept Akleh on board, though they’ve downplayed his role as a “junior” staffer with no input on high-level policy decisions.

Spokesperson Dora Pekec called Akleh’s comments “regretful” and insisted they don’t reflect Mamdani’s views, while campaign finance records show Akleh has been paid around $40,000 this cycle—a decent sum for someone supposedly on the sidelines.

This attempt at damage control feels a bit hollow when the campaign continues to employ someone so comfortable with divisive rhetoric, especially as Mamdani courts business leaders and moderate Democrats like Mike Bloomberg and Hakeem Jeffries post-primary.