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Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) on Thursday formally requested that Attorney General Pam Bondi initiate denaturalization proceedings against Democratic New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, alleging he made false statements during his citizenship application.
Mamdani gained national attention after his surprise victory over former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo for the Democratic mayoral nomination. His win, fueled by a platform of left-wing policies, has sent shockwaves through the political establishment.
“The naturalization process depends on the good-faith disclosure of any affiliation with, or support for, groups that threaten U.S. national security,” he added. “If Mr. Mamdani concealed relevant associations, that concealment may constitute a material misrepresentation sufficient to support denaturalization under federal law.”
Earlier this week, Christopher Flanagan, a Massachusetts Democratic state representative, was arrested by federal officials and accused of stealing tens of thousands of dollars “to fund personal and political expenses,” including “psychic services.”
In addition to his job as a state lawmaker, Flanagan served as the executive director of the Cape Cod Home Builders Association (HBA). According to the U.S. Attorney, that work paid him up to $81,600 last year, on top of his state compensation of $100,945.
Despite the two jobs, U.S. Attorney Leah Foley stated that Flanagan was “facing personal financial difficulty, with thousands of dollars in outstanding credit card debt, missing mortgage payments, and hundreds of dollars in bank overdraft fees.”
According to the filing, he allegedly took $36,000 from the HBA via five distinct wire transfers between November 2021 and January 2023.
“He allegedly stole money and then went to extraordinary lengths to cover it up, going so far as fabricating fake personas to mislead those who questioned his conduct. This alleged scheme was calculated on every level. No one is entitled to power by way of fraud, and the people of Massachusetts deserve better,” she said.
“The people of Massachusetts deserve better. I want to thank the Internal Revenue Service and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their dedication to make this arrest happen. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service will continue to serve the public and take action against those who take part in this type of atrocious behavior,” Larco-Ward noted further.
