On Tuesday’s broadcast of CBS News’ “The Takeout,” Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) responded to New York City mayoral candidate State Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani’s (D) proposal for city-run grocery stores by saying, “I feel like New York can survive a publicly-run grocery store. I feel like the reaction has been a bit hyperbolic and hysterical.”
CBS News Chief Washington Correspondent and host Major Garrett asked, “Would you support him? Do you support him? Or is he part of what you have — on podcasts and elsewhere — described as the recent radicalization of progressive politics?”
Torres responded, “Look, he is the Democratic nominee. He is well-positioned to be the next mayor of New York. And we spoke on Sunday, and I said to him I’m committed to building a relationship with him, I’m committed to a working relationship with him, because, I’m in Congress, I work with people whose opinions are radically different from my own, but I have an obligation to forge a working relationship with those people with whom I disagree for the good of the city and for the good of the country. And Mr. Mamdani is no exception to that rule.”
Garrett then asked, “When he says he would not assist, in any way, with ICE enforcement efforts…if he’s elected mayor of New York City, how do you regard that?”
Torres answered, “I generally agree. If you are a law-abiding undocumented immigrant who’s been rooted in the community for a long time, who has been contributing to society, then you should be protected from deportation. But if you pose a public safety risk, if you’re a violent offender or a sex offender, then I would favor cooperation under those circumstances, and that’s the law of New York City.”
Garrett then asked, “And what about the idea, Congressman Torres, of rent stabilization and city-operated and owned grocery stores?”
Torres began by saying, “Look, the devil’s in the details, but I certainly support renter relief for tenants, but we also have to ensure that these properties have enough rental revenues to replace the boilers and the bricks, because we have to provide tenants both with affordability and housing quality.”
He continued, “And then as far as — I have no object[ion] — if a Mayor Mamdani wants to create a city-run grocery store, God bless him. I feel like New York can survive a publicly-run grocery store. I feel like the reaction has been a bit hyperbolic and hysterical.”
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