{
  "id": 7242286,
  "title": "Jeff Bezos to Mamdani: ‘Villain strategy’ won’t work; Ken Griffin isn’t hurting New York",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/14/jeff-bezos-to-mamdani-villain-strategy-wont-work-ken-griffin-isnt",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-14T03:39:20.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Times of India",
    "slug": "times-of-india",
    "url": "https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/technology/tech-news/when-jeff-bezos-told-mayor-zohran-mamdani-villain-strategy-wont-work-citadel-ceo-ken-griffin-is-not-hurting-new-york-in-fact-/articleshow/134231866.cms"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has dismissed New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's strategy of targeting Citadel CEO Ken Griffin in a viral Tax Day video promoting a proposed pied-à-terre tax. In an interview with CNBC’s Andrew Ross Sorkin, Bezos stated that simply creating a villain out of someone and blaming them won't solve the problem; the solution lies in skill and efficiency. Griffin had expressed disapproval of the video, even threatening to cancel a $6 billion Midtown development project, leading to mediation by Governor Kathy Hochul.\n\nBezos, who possesses a residence in New York City and would therefore be subject to the proposed tax, supported the tax policy itself but disagreed with Mamdani's approach of targeting Griffin personally. He described the pied-à-terre tax as a \"fine thing for New York to do,\" comparing it to hotel taxes that burden out-of-town visitors. However, Bezos firmly rejected Mamdani's tactic of filming outside Griffin's $238 million penthouse, emphasizing that Griffin is not a villain; he hasn't harmed anyone, and in fact, he benefits the city. \"Ken Griffin isn’t a villain. He hasn't hurt anybody. He’s not hurting New York. In fact, quite the opposite,\" Bezos declared.\n\nRedirecting the argument, Bezos shifted focus towards government inefficiency. He argued that any competent corporate executive, such as an Amazon CFO, could identify wasteful spending in the federal budget. Bezos further suggested that fiscal discipline rather than higher taxes should be the primary solution. This is not the first time Bezos has criticized Mamdani's economic policies. In a previous interview, he also lambasted New York City's public school spending, arguing that increased funding alone does not solve underlying problems. He compared the city's education system to Amazon's operations, stating that inefficiencies in public administration would be unacceptable in a business model. Bezos likened poorly managed public schools to Amazon packages taking six weeks to arrive, with incorrect items delivered, and added a delivery fee of $100. He drew parallels to the situation in New York City's schools.",
  "summary": "In a recent statement, Jeff Bezos took aim at New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's approach to a proposed tax initiative. He emphasized that demonizing individuals isn't a viable strategy for tackling systemic issues. While he endorses the concept of the pied-à-terre tax, he disapproves of Mamdani's focus on targeting businessman Ken Griffin. Bezos highlighted that the real challenge lies in…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}