NEW YORK — New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is facing a growing series of political and legal challenges, with a proposed change to House rules and a major dispute over thousands of rent-subsidized apartments adding pressure to his administration and political allies.
Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., announced plans to introduce a House rules amendment that would prevent newly elected members from taking their seats if they refuse to swear the constitutional oath of office.
Steube unveiled the proposal during an interview with political commentator Benny Johnson before reiterating his position on X. He argued that taking the oath is a fundamental requirement for anyone elected to Congress.
“The oath to defend the Constitution isn’t optional,” Steube wrote. “If you’re elected to Congress but refuse to swear it, you shouldn’t be sworn in.”
Steube’s proposal was prompted by Democratic Socialist congressional candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier, who recently won a Democratic primary in New York and is expected to compete in the general election.
The Florida Republican has questioned whether Avila Chevalier could sincerely take the constitutional oath based on positions and statements he attributes to her and organizations with which she has been associated.
Steube specifically pointed to her reported involvement with Columbia University Apartheid Divest, or CUAD, and cited controversial language allegedly contained in the organization’s platform. He also referenced social media posts he said were previously attributed to Avila Chevalier.
The allegations and political claims have become part of a broader national debate over the limits of political expression, congressional eligibility and the constitutional obligations of elected officials.
Under Article VI of the U.S. Constitution, members of Congress are required to take an oath or affirmation supporting the Constitution before assuming their offices. The current oath requires members to pledge to support and defend the Constitution against enemies, foreign and domestic, and to maintain allegiance to it.
Steube has not yet released the specific language of his proposed House rules amendment. It also remains unclear whether House leaders would bring the proposal forward for consideration or how such a rule would address disputes over a prospective member’s intentions or previous political statements.
Meanwhile, Mamdani is confronting a separate battle involving New York City’s housing market and one of the city’s largest landlords.
A federal bankruptcy judge temporarily blocked the city from stopping the proposed sale of more than 5,000 rent-subsidized apartments owned by Pinnacle Group. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge David Jones ruled that the city could not intervene in the bankruptcy proceedings, allowing the auction process to continue.
Pinnacle filed for bankruptcy in May after defaulting on roughly $560 million in loans. Mamdani’s administration has alleged that the company also owes the city approximately $12.7 million in unpaid housing-code fines.
The mayor directed the city’s Law Department to challenge the proposed sale, arguing that a change in ownership could create additional instability for thousands of tenants living in subsidized housing.
Pinnacle, owned by Joel Wiener, controls more than 140 residential buildings containing roughly 9,000 apartments across New York’s five boroughs. Court filings indicate Summit Real Estate Holdings has offered approximately $450 million for about 90 of the properties.
With the court battle continuing and political tensions surrounding the congressional race intensifying, Mamdani and his allies are entering another week of scrutiny on multiple fronts.
