Rep. Elise Stefanik, chairwoman of House Republican Leadership, is urging Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to launch a federal investigation into the administration of NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani, after city health employees allegedly used taxpayer-funded resources to organize a “Global Oppression and Public Health Working Group” that accused Israel of genocide.

In a letter sent to Kennedy on Tuesday, Stefanik questioned whether staff at the city’s Department of Health violated federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination by agencies receiving federal funding.

“The use of federal funds to support or tolerate government-sponsored activities that veer into ideological advocacy or that risk emboldening hate is a grave matter with civil rights and public safety implications,” Stefanik wrote.

“Jewish Americans and all faith communities deserve protection against discrimination, including from actions carried out in the name of public health,” she added.

The controversy centers on a working group formed by employees within the New York City Department of Health, which reportedly held its first meeting during regular work hours at the agency’s headquarters in Long Island City. According to video obtained by the New York Post, one presenter said the group was formed “in response to the ongoing genocide in Palestine.”

Stefanik has asked HHS and its inspector general to determine whether federally funded resources — including staff time, facilities, and equipment — were used to organize and promote the group. She also called for a review of whether the activity violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act by contributing to a hostile environment for Jewish employees or members of the public.

In her letter, Stefanik also requested an investigation into whether department leadership or City Hall officials approved the initiative and whether proper internal controls were followed.

The congresswoman pointed to a surge in antisemitic hate crimes in New York City to underscore her concerns, noting that such incidents rose 182 percent in January – Mamdani’s first month in office – compared to the same period last year.

House Speaker Mike Johnson echoed Stefanik, accusing city officials of politicizing public health.

“Instead of trying to force a radical-left foreign policy agenda, the bureaucrats in Zohran Mamdani’s Department of Health should focus on delivering the services New Yorkers pay for with their tax dollars,” Johnson wrote in a statement on X.

The mayor’s office and the Department of Health have so far declined to respond publicly to the allegations. City Hall offered no immediate comment Thursday on Stefanik’s request for a federal probe.

Acting Health Commissioner Michelle Morse, who also serves as the department’s chief medical officer, declined to comment when approached by reporters this week and referred inquiries to a spokesperson.

The controversy has also drawn criticism from City Council Speaker Julie Menin, who has expressed concern over the politicization of municipal agencies.

If HHS opens a formal inquiry, it could expose the city to potential penalties, funding restrictions, or legal challenges, and intensify an already heated debate over antisemitism, free expression, and political activism in public institutions.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)