Queens pols and civic leaders sue Mamdani over FOIL request regarding Israel EOs

Two Queens pols and a handful of civil leaders are suing Mayor Zohran Mamdani over a FOIL request they filed to get answers about executive orders Mamdani passed that affected the city’s policies regarding Israel and antisemitism.  File photo by Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office

By Ryan Schwach

A group of Queens electeds and civic leaders are suing Mayor Zohran Mamdani over a Freedom of Information Law request demanding he explain his reasoning for eliminating an Adams administration executive order regarding the definition of antisemitism.

The lawsuit aims to force answers to FOIL requests made in January that asks why Mamdani revoked an Adams-era executive order that adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism.

“Mayor Mamdani has chosen to stonewall, deflect, delay and deny any response,” the lawsuit alleges. “As set forth in detail herein, this dilatory tactic on the part of the Mayor is disingenuous, arbitrary, capricious, unlawful, and contrary to the public interest of all New Yorkers.”

Shortly after taking office, Mamdani issued EO’s that revoked all of Adams’ orders made after the date he was indicted on fraud charges on Sept, 26, 2024, including the IHRA antisemitism definition order. It was among his first acts as mayor.

The moves, which also included divestment from Israeli bonds, were criticized by many in the city’s Jewish community, who already had their qualms with Mamdani’s stances on Israel and the conflict in Gaza.

The suit called Mamdani’s actions “anti-Israel” and “anti-Jewish.”

The officials on the suit, which include Queens Councilmembers Joann Ariola, Vickie Paladino and Queens Civic Congress President Warren Schreiber, say FOILs were filed on Jan. 2 and Jan. 12 seeking to obtain the reasons for Mamdani’s revoking of the EOs.

“The purpose of the FOIL applications at issue in this proceeding is to decipher and obtain the documentary trail of information illuminating Mayor Mamdani’s motives, policies, programs, legislative initiatives and budgetary priorities implicated within the EO,” the lawsuit said.

The FOIL requests internal documentation on the mayor’s policies on Zionism and antisemitism.

Although the City Law Department initially denied the requests, and they had to be refiled, on Feb. 11, they were acknowledged and the filers were told the city would aim to have answers for them by April 20.

FOIL requests, often used by journalists and members of the public to get public information, take a notoriously long time to be answered – especially at the city level.

The petitioners and their attorney Jack Lester, filed the lawsuit for Thursday, Feb. 19 due to its “urgency.”

“The issue affects, over a million people in New York City, and it's not your typical policy

decision, and it's not your typical FOIL,” said Lester. “So there has to be some urgency behind it.”

“The driving force behind the lawsuit and behind the FOIL is that this was his first act in office,” he added, calling Mamdani’s move “unprecedented.”

Ariola told the Eagle she was also displeased with the wait.

"Freedom of Information is supposed to be just that: free,” she said in a statement to the Eagle. “Instead of the requested information being freely handed over, however, we are seeing delays and stonewalls from the administration. As usual with this city's bureaucracy, we are going to have to fight in order to get to the truth, and that is why we've filed this lawsuit."

City Hall did not respond to requests for comment on the suit on Wednesday.